From training with cricketers like Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal to facing harassment – Knowing the transition of Anaya Bangar, the story of cricket dreams and courage

Anaya Bangar, the daughter of left-handed batsman, former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has always loved cricket. Inspired by her father, she grew up and wanted to represent India on the scene. She started her cricket journey since childhood and played for well-known clubs such as the Islamic classroom in Mumbai and the Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire, England. Over the years, she shared the arena with now famous cricketers such as Sarfaraz Khan and Yashasvi Jaiswal in her early matches.

But Anaya’s personal journey is equally powerful and emotional, apart from the cricket field. She was earlier known as Aryan and became a transgender woman after receiving hormone replacement therapy and gender stimulation surgery. In a recent candid interview, Anaya reveals the emotional and spiritual struggles she faces throughout her life, especially in the world of cricket.

Anaya shared that for the first time she realized it was different when she was only eight or nine years old. She knew she was in the wrong gender, but she chose her true identity for a long time due to fear, insecurity and the toxic masculinity that often exists on the cricket tour. Despite this, she continued to work hard and performed well on the field.

But after her gender shift, a new challenge began. In November 2023, the International Cricket Commission (ICC) announced that transgender athletes are not allowed to participate in women’s cricket matches. This decision made Anaya heartbroken. She went to Instagram to express her disappointment, saying the rule was unfair and emotional pain.

In the interview, she also revealed disturbing harassment incidents. Anaya said that despite some support, some male cricketers abused her openness. She shared: “Some players randomly sent me nude photos. A person once verbally abused someone in public and sat next to me and asked for my photos.”

Currently, Anaya lives in Manchester, remains active on social media and continues to work on joining and dignity in sports. Her story reflects a tremendous amount of courage and sheds light on the fights of many trans athletes on and off the field.