RCB Rope in Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani as Ngidi's Replacement Ahead of IPL Playoffs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have brought in a fresh face ahead of the business end of IPL 2025. Zimbabwe's pace spearhead Blessing Muzarabani has officially signed with RCB as a replacement for South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi. The lanky fast bowler comes in for a fee of INR 75 lakh, and his inclusion will take effect from May 26.

This is Muzarabani's first IPL stint, although he’s no stranger to the league setup. Back in 2022, he served as a net bowler for the Lucknow Super Giants. Now, he’ll get a real chance to make his mark on the biggest stage. The timing, however, is a bit tight — he’s currently part of Zimbabwe’s Test squad for their four-day match against England starting May 22 in Nottingham. As for Ngidi, he’s set to leave the RCB camp after their upcoming clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23 due to national duty. He was bought at the auction for INR 1 crore and made a strong impact in his only appearance this season — picking up three wickets for 30 runs against rivals Chennai Super Kings. 

With Ngidi leaving and Josh Hazlewood still recovering from a shoulder niggle in Australia, RCB needed reinforcements in the pace department. Muzarabani fits the bill. Much like Ngidi and Hazlewood, he’s a tall, hit-the-deck bowler who can get steep bounce and bowl heavy lengths. RCB will be hoping he can hit the ground running, especially with the playoffs around the corner. The Zimbabwean quick has been a vital cog in his national team’s bowling attack, alongside Richard Ngarava, particularly in white-ball formats. Muzarabani has taken 127 wickets in 118 T20 matches at a strike rate of 19.3 and an economy rate of 7.24. 

RCB will be banking on his experience from various franchise leagues as well. Muzarabani has turned out for Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League, Gulf Giants in the ILT20, and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL. More recently, he was Player of the Match in the Sylhet Test against Bangladesh, where he bagged nine wickets — a clear sign that he’s in red-hot form. 

Josh Hazlewood is expected to rejoin the RCB squad just in time for the playoffs, but with his recent injury history, Muzarabani’s arrival gives the side some much-needed cover. Hazlewood is also gearing up for the World Test Championship final starting June 11, so RCB will be cautious in how they use him. 

RCB may have already booked a spot in the playoffs, but they still have a lot riding on their final two league games. A top-two finish would give them a crucial second shot in the playoffs, and a single slip-up could open the door for Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings to leapfrog them on the points table. 

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