From the silver screen to the cricket field, it has been a smooth transition for Nashpreet Singh
From the silver screen to the cricket field, it has been a smooth transition for Nashpreet Singh
Nashpreet Singh, an Indian-Australian model, is making waves at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. As a sports presenter, she was first seen by cricket fans at the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League in the United Arab of Emirates. Though her debut was confined to operating from a bubble due to COVID, she received appreciation for a job well done.
“Most cricketers I interacted with have been so down to earth and just normal that sometimes I myself tend to forget that they are famous. They are all extremely easy to work with. They understand television and broadcasting really well,” she says via an email chat from Melbourne.
Nashpreet adds that she did not really aspire to take up sports anchoring as a career. “I never in my wildest dream thought I would be doing this. I just accidentally fell into it, and thank God I did; I am loving it.”
Having landed the job, Nashpreet says she worked on her presentation style. “I watched a lot of cricket and read a lot after I got hired. I did the first IPL from a bubble as it was during COVID, which meant I was constantly around commentators and former players. They taught me a lot. Dean Jones, especially, was so wonderful and always available for any questions I had.” (Sadly, Jones passed away in Mumbai less than a week into the IPL on September 24.)
Nashpreet Singh with Ranvir Singh in Befikre
| Photo Credit: SOMA BASU
Nashpreet says she is proud of her association with Bollywood even though her debut – Befikre starring Ranveer Singh – did not excel at the box office. Her views on Indian cinema are guarded. “I’m very picky about what I watch. I don’t just consume content blindly like a lot of people do these days. But I recently watched some stuff and was highly impressed. Films highlighting social issues with a message usually make for difficult conversations. These films don’t really do that well always, but I quite enjoy them,” she says.
As for her favourite cricketer? “I have many!!! I can’t pick one. MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Jasprit Bumrah, Kane Williamson, and Johnny Bairstow are the names that come to mind. I can easily add more to this list.” In a short time, Nashpreet has joined the the list of women sports presenters like Mayanti Langer, Sanjana Ganesan and Isa Guha, who have made name for themselves in the world of cricket.
