Anaya Bangar‘s cricketing dreams are back on track after Cricket Australia paved the way for her to be eligible for selection in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). Anaya, the child of former India batter and coach Sanjay Bangar, admitted that there was a point in her life when she had almost given up the dream of playing professional cricket, but support from people around her and sheer acceptance helped her rekindle the belief. As she looks to begin a new chapter in her career, Anaya sent a loud and clear message to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), saying she aspires to win the World Cup for the country someday.
Speaking to India Today, Anaya said that she has big hopes from the BCCI, hoping the board creates policies that enable athletes like her to get opportunities in women’s cricket. In the end, she wants to do exactly what every other Indian cricketer wants to, to win the World Cup for the country.
“I just hope BCCI looks into it and creates policies which are inclusive, fair, and dignified towards women’s sport, and I hope to win the World Cup for India one day. And I want to do that. Like, I want to win something for the country, and that’s my dream,” said Anaya.
“This journey was very tough. I had to deal with a lot of backlash, not just from the public, but within family as well. I got the bare minimum support, but like, I didn’t feel fully supported as well during the whole journey,” she added.
Before gaining public acceptance after undergoing gender affirmation surgeries, Anaya said she used to live in cricketing dressing rooms in the United Kingdom to survive. Then she decided to come on social media, get a few brand deals done so that she could support the process of ‘change’.
“There was a certain period of time where I was living in dressing rooms in the UK just to survive and like fend for myself during that time. I was, I was in that state for like 5 months, then eventually, I decided to come on social media to support myself and my surgeries. So I did that. I got some brand deals. I got my first few surgeries done, along with whatever goes with gender-affirming procedures as well during that time.”
“And it’s been a crazy ride, to be honest. It’s been isolating, it’s been brutal, but throughout all this, solitude has helped me a lot through this, and that’s what has made me so confident and strong, which I feel,” said Anaya.
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