Danielle McGahey set to become first transgender woman to feature in international cricket

For the first time in international cricket, a transgender woman player will feature in ICC-related tournaments. Danielle McGahey, 29, is set to become the first transgender woman player to play in international cricket. The right-hand batter from Australia, who moved to Canada in 2020, had fulfilled the eligibility criteria for male-to-female (MTF) transition, per ICC.

McGahey is named in Canada’s squad for the Women's T20 Americas Qualifier, the pathway tournament to the T20 World Cup 2024.According to BBC Sport, the first to break this news, McGahey socially transitioned from male to female three years ago in 2020 before undergoing a medical transition in 2021.

Per an ICC statement released on Thursday, Danielle McGahey is eligible to feature in women’s international cricket after ticking all the requirements needed to participate.

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"We can confirm that Danielle went through the process as required under the ICC's Player Eligibility Regulations," an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo, "and as a result has been deemed eligible to participate in international women's cricket on the basis that she satisfies the MTF transgender eligibility criteria."

McGahey, who featured for Canada at the South American Women’s Championship held in October last year in Brazil, playing four games, said she is happy to represent her community at the international level in cricket.

"To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do," McGahey told BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, the Americas Qualifiers will be played in Los Angeles, USA, from September 4 to 11, featuring Argentina, Brazil, Canada and hosts USA. The winner will cruise ahead to the global Qualifiers, where teams from other regional Qualifiers will fight for a place in next year’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

ICC’s rules for transgender players

Cricket’s governing body (ICC) made changes to the Player Eligibility regulations in 2021. In Article 3, the term transgender (dealing with eligibility based on gender recognition) is defined as "individuals whose gender identity is different from the biological sex assigned to them at birth (whether they are pre- or post-puberty, and whether or not they have undergone any form of medical intervention)".

It further states that for a male transitioning to female, the testosterone levels are the key parameters and should be "less than 5 nmol/l (nanomole per litre) continuously for a period of at least 12 months and that she is ready, willing and able to continue to keep it below that level for so long as she continues to compete in the female category of competition".

However, as things stand, McGahey is eligible to feature in women’s international cricket and create history with her participation.

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