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New Delhi: Danielle McGahey will become the first transgender cricketer to play an official international match when she represents Canada in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Americas qualifier in the United States. A wicketkeeper by trait, the 29-year-old has played four matches for Canadian women in the South American Championships where she played against the likes of Brazil, Peru and Argentina. She completed all the ICC formalities and met all the eligibility criteria by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for male-to-female transgender players.
In the four matches that McGahey played so far for Canada, she scored a half-century against Brazil. As per ICC’s regulations, any transgender individual, who wants to play women’s cricket, must show that her serum testosterone concentration remains below 5 nmol/L1 for a whole year on a consistent basis. The player must also commit to maintaining the above-mentioned level throughout the participation and give a written and signed declaration stating that their gender identity is female.
Born in Australia in 1994, McGahey’s cricket career started in a men’s club in Melbourne before she shifted to Canada. After moving to Canada, McGahey joined the Cavaliers Cricket Club in Regina, Saskatchewan. After spending a year at the Cavaliers for the men’s team, McGahey represented Alberta in inter-provincial cricket in the Alberta Women’s Cricket League.
According to various reports, McGahey began her medical transition in 2021. Meanwhile, McGahey stated that she has been conducting monthly tests for nearly two years and timely sends all the necessary information to ICC. The world cricket body has also assigned a dedicated medical officer on this matter.
McGahey is honoured to be able to represent her community and play international cricket. “I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do,” she told BBC Sport.
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“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 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. It’s very personal in terms of the information you are giving over – all your medical information, history of puberty, any surgeries. There’s a lot in it. But the protocols are there and it has been used as intended,” McGahey added.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Americas qualifier will take place from September 4-11. The four teams in the competition are Canada, USA, Brazil and Argentina. All the teams will play twice against other teams with the top side advancing to the global qualifier.
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