Time for me to step down: Babar Azam resigns as Pakistan white-ball team captain
Islamabad: Star batter Babar Azam on Wednesday announced that he was stepping down as Pakistan captain in the white-ball format. This decision comes after he had stepped down from the role in 2023, only to be reinstated in 2024, replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“It’s been an honour to lead this team, but it’s time for me to step down and focus on my playing role,” Babar wrote on X.
He expressed that while leading the team has been a rewarding experience, it has also significantly increased his workload. “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,” he stated.
The 29-year-old noted that he wants to prioritise his performance and enjoy playing the game while also spending quality time with his family, which brings him joy.
He expressed gratitude to his fans for their continuous support and belief in him.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support,” he said at the end of the post.
Pakistan is scheduled to face England in a three-match Test series on home soil, with the first Test set to begin on October 7 in Multan.
Dear Fans,
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) October 1, 2024
I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month.
It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
