Kass Naidoo is an international cricket broadcaster, a mother of three children, and a wife.
Biography
Kass Naidoo (born January 12, 1978) is a sports Journalist and the first South African female commentator in cricket. Her cricket broadcasting debut was at the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup for the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Naidoo has won an award for her contributions to sports journalism. She entered an industry dominated by male commentators but still achieved her childhood dream. She has hosted many international post-match meets.
| Kass Naidoo | |
|---|---|
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| Short Profile | |
| Full name: | Kasturi Naidoo |
| Other name: | Kass |
| Born: | January 12, 1978 (age 45 years old) |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Parents: | Bugwathie (mother), Sannasy Naidoo (father) |
| Occupation: | Sports journalist, commentator |
| Years active: | 2003-date |
| Spouse: | Ryk Meiring |
| Children: | Daniel, Ella, Luke |
| Siblings: | 2 |
Early Life
Kass Naidoo was born Kasturi Naidoo on January 12, 1978, to Bugwathie, her mother, and Sannasy Naidoo, her father. Her parents got married in 1973 and had three children. She is the youngest child of her parents and has two older brothers.
Growing up, she was a bit of a tomboy and played netball but not cricket. Her grandparents are from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. They came to Durban on a sailing ship with lots of relatives.
After hearing Donna Symmonds commentary in a series in South Africa, Kass felt connected to the game. She was fourteen but had not understood the game before then.
Her love for the game made her learn more about the game. Her brother was very helpful as she studied the game.
Career
Former English cricketer Robin Jackman had been her mentor. She made her TV presenting debut during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa. She had anchored and commentated for SABC Sports for five seasons.
In September 2007, Naidoo left broadcasting for a while to gain credibility in cricket and joined Cricket South Africa (CSA) in March 2008. She was the Commercial and Corporate Relations manager.
Since 2003, she has hosted four Cricket World Cups for SABC Sport. She was their anchor-cum-commentator for the India-South Africa tour.
Kass has commentated on a host of T20 Internationals, One Day Internationals, and Test Matches. She commentated on the Pakistan Super League in 2020.
Women have gained from her experience in cricket as she helps to shape women’s sports in the country by providing innovative online initiative, gsport.
Kass pioneered the positive coverage of women’s sports in South Africa in 2006. While at Cricket South Africa, she and her team shaped CSA and the Proteas into diverse and inclusive brands that epitomized unity.
Her experience in media, communications, brand, marketing, and commerce has helped her in sports. She is among the leading event hosts in the country. She anchored the South Africa versus Sri Lanka cricket test on SABC3 and Radio 2000.
Naidoo paid her way through journalism school and tried out print media. She started to produce sport on an afternoon drive radio show. Since she could not delve into cricket commendation, she left to join the SABC.
The commentator worked as a writer on the 7 PM news desk and edited sports stories. When Robert Marawa heard her relate her dream, he introduced her to SABC Sport.
Kass made her radio cricket commentary debut, alongside Neil Manthorp, during the Boxing Day Test between South Africa and West Indies in December 2003. She hosted the Captains Media Day in Cape Town ahead of the start of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February 2023.
Naidoo presented and commented at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup opening game at Newlands. February 9, 2023, marked twenty years since she made my cricket broadcasting debut in 2003. In December 2021, Kass made her SuperSport cricket commentary debut.
Personal Life
Kass Naidoo and her husband, Ryk Meiring, are proud parents. They got married in 2004 and have three children, namely Daniel, Ella, and Luke. Her son Daniel, a budding cricketer who wants to play for South Africa some day, shares his birthday with AB de Villiers.