Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have named Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement for Lungisani Ngidi, who will leave to join South Africa for national duties. The replacement will be effective from May 26, a statement from the Indian Premier League said on Monday.
The IPL statement added: โMuzarabani โ a pacer for Zimbabwe โ has so far played 70 T20Is and has picked 78 wickets from the same. Additionally, he has also represented Zimbabwe in 12 Tests and 55 ODIs. He will join RCB for Rs 75 lakh.โ
RCB will be in desperate need for pace options after losing Ngidi and Australian Josh Hazlewood, their highest wicket-taker this season, to a shoulder injury.
Talking about their latest acquisition, Royal Challengers Bengaluru said on X: โ6 feet 8 inches tall, 28-year-old Zimbabwean speedster โ Blessing Muzarabani has been announced as RCBโs temporary replacement for Lungi Ngidi who returns to South Africa on the 26th! Lungi continues to be available for our next home game.โ
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, May 23 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Muzarabani is currently part of Zimbabweโs squad as they play a four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge from May 22 to 25. The lanky pacer will then fly to India and will link up with RCB. It must be noted that Zimbabwe have a game lined up from June 3 (when the IPL 2025 final has now been scheduled to be played) against the South Africans. The game acts as a warm-up game for South Africa ahead of the WTC final.
RCB posted a clip of Muzarabani taking six wickets against Afghanistan during the Asian countryโs tour of the African nation.
๐๐โ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก, ๐๐โ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ก๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐จ! ๐ฎโ๐จ
This is just a glimpse of the chaos heโs about to unleash! ๐
โ Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 19, 2025
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โHeโs tall, heโs trouble and he brings bounce that bites. This is just a glimpse of the chaos heโs about to unleash!โ RCB wrote on X with the video.
RCB have already secured a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs, having gathered 17 points from their 12 games. They have two more games left in the league stage. The franchise have never won the IPL title in 18 times of trying and are hoping to change that equation.
