Amid the ongoing sixth edition of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026, the debate around transgender participation in women’s cricket has intensified after Indian transgender cricketer Anaya Bangar responded to South African veteran Marizanne Kapp’s criticism of Cricket Australia’s decision to clear her for a pathway into women’s domestic cricket. Bangar, the daughter of former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar, said scientific testing and her compliance with Cricket Australia’s policy supported her eligibility to play.
Marizanne Kapp, a long-serving South Africa international and Women’s Big Bash League player, had shared a report about Cricket Australia’s decision on her Instagram story and wrote: “Absolutely ridiculous, this should NOT be allowed!” She also tagged the official WBBL account, making her opposition to Bangar’s potential participation in the competition clear.
Kapp’s record underlines her standing in the women’s game. She has played 292 international matches, including four Tests, 162 ODIs and 126 T20Is. Across those appearances, she has scored 395 Test runs and taken one wicket, accumulated 3,511 ODI runs and 181 wickets, and scored 1,774 T20I runs while claiming 101 wickets.
Anaya Bangar, who underwent gender-affirming surgery in March 2026, responded by acknowledging Kapp’s concerns but challenging the suggestion that her participation would automatically create an unfair advantage.
“I think I understand the place where she’s coming from,” Bangar told PTI. “But with me, there has been testing done by Manchester University Institute of Sport. They conducted a 12-week-long testing programme after I had been on hormone replacement therapy for a year, and it concluded that my physical parameters fall within the cisgender female athlete range.”
Cricket Australia has confirmed that Anaya is eligible to play community and Premier cricket immediately. She could become eligible for elite women’s cricket, including a potential WBBL pathway, from March 2027, provided her serum testosterone remains below the required threshold of 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 continuous months.
However, the clearance does not guarantee selection. Anaya Bangar must first return to competitive cricket, secure a local club in Australia and perform at community or Premier level before earning consideration for higher opportunities. She also pointed to the physical effects of her medical transition, saying her testosterone level is 0.6 nanomoles and that she has experienced bone-density loss, muscle reduction, lower stamina and a decline in training capacity.
“My body doesn’t produce testosterone anymore since I’ve had the surgery,” she said. “Not all trans women have an unfair advantage.” The issue has exposed contrasting approaches within cricket. The International Cricket Council bars transgender women who experienced male puberty from elite international women’s matches, while Cricket Australia applies its own domestic policy based on testosterone monitoring and eligibility criteria.
Anaya Bangar urged critics to understand the policy and evidence before reaching conclusions. “Those who want to raise their voice against it should actually educate themselves on this topic,” she said, adding that she had provided the necessary information and was complying with Cricket Australia’s guidelines.
(Quotes sourced from PTI, Times Now Sports)
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