During the recent development of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, overseas players are leaving for national duties. Lungi Ngidi gets replaced by the star pacer of Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani. He joined RCB for ₹75 Lakhs, and his replacement will be seen on the ground from 26th May. After the GT’s mammoth win against DC by 10 wickets, 3 teams qualified for the playoffs in IPL 2025.
List of teams qualified for playoffs after the GT vs DC IPL 2025 match
- Gujarat Giants
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Punjab Kings
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Lungi Ngidi replaced by Blessing Muzarabani
Lungi Ngidi, who was initially purchased by RCB at INR 1 Crore, has made a decent contribution in his short stay with the side. Ngidi took three wickets for 30 runs in his only outing in an exciting match against the Chennai Super Kings. But with Ngidi leaving for national obligation, Blessing Muzarabani has been drafted in to support the team’s bowling attack during the pivotal playoff stage.
Ngidi will be missed, especially with RCB’s last match against Kolkata Knight Riders being washed out in the rain. The team is now focusing on the group-stage encounter with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 23 and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27. Without Ngidi available, we can say that RCB will take a top-two spot and go directly to the playoffs.
Blessing Muzarabani’s Impressive T20I Career and Stats
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Blessing Muzarabani, who is famous for his speed and wicket-taking, has been Zimbabwe’s most consistent bowler in white-ball cricket. With 78 wickets across 70 T20 International (T20I) games, Muzarabani adds significant experience to RCB’s camp. His impressive talent of bowling at high speeds and taking wickets at regular intervals has made him a key player for Zimbabwe.
In 118 T20 games, Muzarabani has taken 127 wickets at a remarkably good average of 19.3, with an economy rate of 7.24. These statistics highlight his effectiveness and his ability to contribute a lot in the IPL 2025 season. With RCB’s bowling unit also weakened due to Josh Hazlewood’s injury, Muzarabani would have an important role to play in guiding RCB through the hassles of the playoffs.
Muzarabani’s Contribution to RCB’s Charge for a Playoff Spot
RCB’s Charge for a Playoff Spot is increasing in intensity, and with Blessing Muzarabani, they get an experienced fast left-arm, who can bowl critical overs in important games. Having already demonstrated the knack of bowling every type of over in his time with the Zimbabwe squad, and in recent matches he has bowled in powerplay when wickets have been vital, he rounds out RCB’s bowling resources and depth in attack.
With RCB already assured of a playoff berth, having Muzarabani on board improves their hopes of reaching the top two, and this will ensure a direct entry into the final. The team will be relying on him to make significant contributions in the next matches against SRH and LSG.
The signing of Blessing Muzarabani comes at a key moment for Royal Challengers Bangalore as they strive for IPL 2025 success. Muzarabani’s signing adds a proven T20 bowler to the squad who will perform under pressure to assist the team in their playoff effort.
Now that RCB is aiming to finish in the top 2, the pace and wicket-taking output of Muzarabani will help RCB to be successful in its remaining group-stage matches.
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