Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, a cricket fan himself, witnessed India’s impressive 70-run victory over New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final. However, India’s loss to Australia in the finals left millions of Indian cricket fans heartbroken. In the midst of this, Nadella was jokingly asked if he had plans to buy Australia after India’s defeat. This inquiry coincided with Microsoft’s announcement to hire Sam Altman, the former CEO of OpenAI, a company supported by Microsoft.
During an appearance on Kara Swisher’s podcast, Nadella discussed the recent events at OpenAI. The host took the opportunity to ask the Microsoft CEO about India’s World Cup loss, jokingly suggesting that he might consider buying Australia. In response, Nadella humorously stated, “That would be like buying OpenAI. None of those can be accomplished, but we can partner well with OpenAI and enjoy Aussies playing cricket.”
Nadella closely followed the final match of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup and took to X to congratulate Australia on their victory. He also commended the efforts of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team, stating, “Congratulations to Australia on winning the World Cup! Great run to the finals, India.”
Nadella has always been open about his love for cricket and credits the sport for teaching him valuable lessons in teamwork and leadership, which have guided him throughout his career. He expressed, “I think playing cricket taught me more about working in teams and leadership that has stayed with me throughout my career,” when his appointment as Microsoft CEO was announced.
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its decision to hire former OpenAI Chief, Sam Altman. Nadella expressed his commitment to the partnership with OpenAI and expressed confidence in their product roadmap and ability to continue innovating. He also mentioned looking forward to collaborating with the new leadership team at OpenAI.
Following this announcement, Microsoft’s shares experienced a 1.5% increase, potentially adding nearly $30 billion to the company’s market value. This increase was almost equivalent to OpenAI’s previous valuation during its last fundraising round.
