India, Feb. 18 -- C ricketer Anaya Bangar, who is set to undergo gender-affirming surgery in Bangkok next month, feels her biggest victory is the acceptance she has received from her family, especially her father, former cricketer Sanjay Bangar. While her father initially struggled to understand her transition, his perspective evolved, and now he's even funding her surgery. Anaya says, "Earlier, he didn't understand, but seeing the love and support I received from others changed everything for him. Now, he is my biggest strength, providing emotional and financial support. Him paying for my surgery means a lot." She adds, "Fighting stigma at home is much worse than facing it in the outer world. It can worry you, but when your own people don't understand you, it saddens you, breaks you. I have faced that, but thankfully it's over." Anaya's transition first began in 2023 and the upcoming procedure marks the final stage of that process. Having played club cricket in the men's team before coming out publicly with her transition, Anaya is now uncertain about her future in cricket post her surgery. She reveals that she has written to the cricketing bodies International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for inclusion of the third gender in the sport. She shares, "The sport is in my blood. As of now, I don't have any place or team to play anywhere, since I am still waiting for any steps by the BCCI on the third gender playing the sport." Anaya also appeals to the cricketing bodies for inclusion which is "evidence-based, not based on an assumption or fear": "I've written multiple times to both ICC and BCCI, but have got no revert yet. I don't know what delays the decision in this aspect."...