Anaya Bangar's Heartwarming Reaction As CSK Pick Up Sarfaraz Khan During IPL 2026 Auction

Anaya Bangar, the daughter of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, expressed her joy when her friend Sarfaraz Khan was signed by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the IPL 2026 mini-auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Sarfaraz Khan, whose last IPL appearance was in 2023, was picked up by CSK for his base price of Rs 75 lakh. Sarfaraz expressed gratitude to CSK for the opportunity, acknowledging it as a fresh start for his career after previous rejections. He conveyed his appreciation in an Instagram story, stating, "Thank you so much, CSK for giving me new life."

Anaya Bangar also responded to CSK's welcome message for Sarfaraz by posting 'fire' and 'clapping hands' emojis in the comments section.

The friendship between Anaya and Sarfaraz goes back some time. During the IPL 2025 season, Anaya visited Sarfaraz's home, spending time with him and his family. She shared photos on social media with Sarfaraz and his father, Naushad Khan. In a video posted by Anaya, Sarfaraz mentioned that they were meeting after two to three years. Anaya captioned the post, "We held bats before we held phones. Friends since the beginning. Missed you @musheerkhan.97."

Last year, Anaya Bangar shared her personal journey of transformation after undergoing hormonal replacement therapy and gender affirmation surgery. Anaya, formerly known as Aryan, is an athlete who has followed in her father's footsteps by playing age-group cricket.

Sarfaraz Khan has been performing well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year, scoring 256 runs in six innings with an average of 64.00 and a strike rate of 182.85.