RCB bring in Muzarabani as Ngidi's temporary replacement

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have brought in Blessing Muzarabani, the Zimbabwe fast-bowling spearhead, as temporary replacement for Lungi Ngidi, who will leave to join South Africa for their preparations ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The replacement will be effective from May 26, the day before RCB's last league-phase game, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) away in Lucknow.

An IPL statement said that Muzarabani would be joining RCB for INR 75 lakh.

Muzarabani is in Zimbabwe's squad for their four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge from May 22 to 25 and will link up with RCB after that game. Zimbabwe have another game lined up from June 3 - the day of the IPL 2025 final - in Arundel against the South Africans, which will act as a warm-up game for South Africa ahead of the WTC final.

Eight South Africa players - Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians) and Ngidi were in any case set to leave for the United Kingdom on May 30, with CSA confirming that they would not be able to complete their IPL commitments following the rescheduling in the wake of the border tensions between India and Pakistan.

RCB are currently without Josh Hazlewood, their highest wicket-taker this season, who is nursing a shoulder injury, but have the rest of their overseas contingent back after the break. Of them, Jacob Bethell would also be leaving for the ODI series against West Indies ahead of RCB's penultimate league fixture.

RCB became one of the three teams to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs on Sunday night after Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Delhi Capitals (DC). They are currently at No. 2 on the points table with 17 points - eight wins and a no-result from 12 games - and have matches left against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home in Bengaluru on Friday and then against LSG.

Muzarabani has never played an IPL game but has been a net bowler at LSG in the past. RCB's current head coach Andy Flower was in the LSG backroom at the time. The two have also been together at Multan Sultans in the PSL and at Gulf Giants in the ILT20. Muzarabani has been one of Zimbabwe's star performers in Test cricket in recent months, with 26 wickets in his last four Tests, including a nine-wicket match haul in Zimbabwe's win over Bangladesh in the Sylhet Test in April.