RCB ropes in Blessing Muzarabani as replacement for Lungi Ngidi

New Delhi, May 19: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have named Zimbabwe seamer Blessing Muzarabani as a replacement for South African speedster Lungisani Ngidi, who will depart the franchise to link up with the South Africa national team for the World Test Championship Final. The change will come into effect from May 26, 2025, as per the IPL Media Advisory.

Muzarabani brings a wealth of international experience to the RCB camp. The tall right-arm fast bowler has featured in 70 T20 Internationals for Zimbabwe, claiming 78 wickets with his consistent pace and bounce. In addition to his T20I exploits, Muzarabani has also played 12 Test matches and 55 One Day Internationals for his country, making him a seasoned campaigner across formats.

The 28-year-old will join the RCB setup for a fee of Rs 75 lakh, bolstering the team's fast-bowling resources as they look to strengthen their push in the business end of the tournament.

RCB have already qualified for the playoffs with 17 points, and still have two matches to play. They are currently sitting in the second spot with eight wins, three losses and one no result.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have also signed Shivam Shukla as a replacement for Rovman Powell for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

The West Indian all-rounder needs a surgical intervention of his tonsils. Shukla - a leg-spinner - plays for Madhya Pradesh in Domestic Cricket and will join KKR for Rs 30 Lakh.

Shukla, a leg-spinner, has featured in eight T20 matches and has picked up eight wickets. His inclusion adds a fresh spin option to the KKR setup as the franchise looks to end their campaign on a strong note.

KKR's title defence came to a premature end following a washout in Bengaluru, a game that marked the league's return after a 10-day break. The defending champions, who clinched the title in 2024, have only one fixture left this season, a face-off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Delhi next Sunday.

With playoff hopes dashed, the match against SRH will be an opportunity for KKR to test new talent and finish the season with pride.

KKR are now placed sixth in the points table with five wins and six defeats, and their two games were washed out; they ended with 12 points.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

Good move by RCB! Muzarabani has been impressive for Zimbabwe. His height and bounce could be deadly on Indian pitches. Hope he adapts quickly to the IPL pressure. #PlayBold 💪

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Priya M.

Interesting to see more African players getting chances in IPL. But will he get to play with RCB's strong bowling lineup? Siraj, Ferguson, and now Muzarabani - tough competition!

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Arjun S.

KKR's season is already over but good to see them giving chance to domestic talent like Shukla. IPL should be about discovering new Indian players too, not just foreign stars.

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Sneha R.

Muzarabani for 75 lakh seems like a steal deal! Zimbabwe players bring so much passion to the game. Remember how Brendan Taylor performed in past IPL seasons? Hope Blessing shines too ✨

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Vikram J.

RCB's management is making smart moves this season. First they fixed their batting, now strengthening bowling at right time. Playoffs mein full team strength chahiye! #RCB2025

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Neha P.

Poor KKR - defending champions but out of playoffs. Too many rain-affected matches ruined their campaign. Hope they come back stronger next year with better planning for weather uncertainties.

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