Hyderabad: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have announced replacements for Rovman Powell and Lungi Ngidi for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
KKR have signed Shivam Shukla as a replacement of Powell, who needs to join West Indies squad for the ODI & T20I series against England starting next month. However, the Windis all-rounder left the tournament early to have a surgical intervention of his tonsils.
🚨 News 🚨
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2025
Kolkata Knight Riders & Royal Challengers Bengaluru pick replacements for Rovman Powell & Lungisani Ngidi, respectively. #TATAIPL | @KKRiders | @RCBTweets | Details 🔽
Shukla, leg-spinner, plays for Madhya Pradesh in Domestic Cricket and joined KKR for INR 30 Lakh. He has played 8 T20 matches for Madhya Pradesh in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and picked up 8 wickets at an average of 23.62 with a impressive economy of 6.30.
Standing at 6’8”, bowling from a higher trajectory - Muzarabani is truly a 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 to have in the side.
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 19, 2025
Pace, bounce, and that steep angle - make him hard to score off and he’s adding all the skills to our attack! 💥🔥#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/f2KZmFsqOc
Meanwhile, RCB have picked Blessing Muzarabani as replacement for Lungisani Ngidi, who will leave to join South Africa for national duties. The replacement will be effective from May 26, 2025. Ngidi played only one game for RCB this year, but didn't let fans feel absence of Josh Hazlewood, picking up three wickets for 30 runs against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
🔊 𝑶𝑭𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳 𝑨𝑵𝑵𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑪𝑬𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻 🔊
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 19, 2025
6 feet 8 inches tall, 28 year old Zimbabwean speedster - 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘂𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗶 has been announced as RCB’s temporary replacement for Lungi Ngidi who returns to South Africa on the 26th! Lungi continues to be… pic.twitter.com/vn5GBSPShi
Muzarabani, the Zimbabwe pacer, 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 INR 75 Lakh. He was previously a net bowler for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2022 season.
🚨 The mystery spinner from MP is a Knight now!
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 18, 2025
Shivam Shukla replaces Rovman Powell for the remainder of the #TATAIPL2025 pic.twitter.com/usUoOnFzLG
Recently, Muzarabani took nine wickets in the Sylhet Test against Bangladesh and was named Player of the Match. He has also featured in franchise leagues, playing for Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Gulf Giants in the ILT20, and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
