Danielle McGahey creates history and becomes the first transgender to play International cricket

The first transgender person to play international cricket will be Canadian cricket player Danielle McGahey. The following month, during a regional qualifying game for the Bangladesh 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, she would be included for the first time in history.

The opening batter for Canada’s women’s squad in the qualifying round will be 29-year-old McGahey. She complied with the standards established by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for transgender athletes.
Los Angeles will host the qualifying event from September 4 to September 11. Canada is vying with Argentina, Brazil, and the United States for a spot in the international qualifications in the ICC Americas Qualifier.

McGahey said, “I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do.” 

Transition from male to female

After relocating from Australia to Canada in February 2020, McGahey started her social transition from a male to a female in November 2020. She began her medical transition in May 2021.

McGahey’s acceptance into the arena of international cricket, which is a significant advancement, demonstrates the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) commitment to equal rights. This inclusion highlights the importance of diversity within the sport and is consistent with the governing body’s progressive position.

ICC regulations

According to ICC’s player eligibility regulations released in 2018 (and amended in 2021), trans women wishing to play women’s international cricket must demonstrate “the concentration of testosterone in her serum has been less than 5 nmol/L1 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”.

It further states that a trans cricketer must “provide a written and signed declaration, in a form of satisfactory to the designated medical officer, that her gender identity is female”. 

ICC’s statement

On allowing McGahey to be the first transgender to play international cricket, the ICC said in a statement: “We can confirm that Danielle went through the process as required under the ICC’s player eligibility regulations 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.”

Danielle McGahey fulfilling her dream

McGahey claimed that she is exerting every effort within her power to fulfil her dream of competing in international cricket. “In order to determine (my testosterone levels), I’ve been doing blood tests every month now for over two years. I also have to put in my player profile who I have played against and how many runs I’ve scored,” she said. 

McGahey further added, “A lot of work with my doctor sending my medical information through to the ICC… they have a dedicated medical officer who looks over all of the information provided, and determines whether or not I have provided enough for an expert panel to make a decision. 

“The need to do blood tests every month is probably the biggest challenge because when you are playing cricket you are travelling a lot,” McGahey said.

McGahey attracted the attention of Cricket Canada selectors with her batting prowess during the country’s women’s inter-provincial tournament, which permits a transgender player to participate based only on gender self-identification.

McGahey afterwards took part in four T20 matches for Canada in the South American Championships in October 2022. But these games received no international acclaim.