Kolkata Knight Riders Sign Zimbabwean Bowler Blessing Muzarabani for IPL 2026

The Kolkata Knight Riders have secured the services of Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani for the IPL 2026 season. Known for his impressive height and pace, Muzarabani has made a name for himself in T20 cricket, recently excelling in the T20 World Cup. He will be joining KKR as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman and is set to arrive in Kolkata soon. With a strong T20 record and significant experience, he aims to bolster KKR's bowling lineup as they prepare for their first match against the Mumbai Indians on March 29. Discover more about his journey and KKR's squad for the upcoming season.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 14, 2026, 02:09 IST

KKR Welcomes Blessing Muzarabani

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 13: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially added Zimbabwe's fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani to their roster for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

As stated in a franchise press release, the towering 6 ft 8" right-arm bowler has established himself as one of Zimbabwe's top pace bowlers in T20 cricket, recognized for his impressive bounce and knack for taking wickets during crucial moments of the game.

Muzarabani boasts considerable T20 experience, having taken over 90 wickets in more than 80 T20 Internationals, maintaining an average of approximately 21, with his best performance being 3/8. He also finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 13 wickets in the recently held T20 World Cup 2026.

His speed and reliability in various global leagues and international matches will enhance KKR's bowling lineup as they prepare for the season.

The bowler is expected to arrive in Kolkata on Tuesday, with KKR set to face the Mumbai Indians in their opening match on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Muzarabani is the sole Zimbabwean player participating in this year's IPL. He was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad last season but did not get any game time. RCB clinched their first IPL title last year.

The 29-year-old pacer opted out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to join the IPL this season. He will replace Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman, who was released by the franchise in accordance with BCCI regulations.

KKR's Squad for IPL 2026 includes:

New signings: Cameron Green (INR 25.2 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 18 crore), Tejasvi Singh (INR 3 crore), Finn Allen (INR 2 crore), Rachin Ravindra (INR 2 crore), Tim Seifert (INR 1.5 crore), Akash Deep (INR 1 crore), Rahul Tripathi (INR 75 lakh), Kartik Tyagi (INR 30 lakh), Prashant Solanki (INR 30 lakh), Sarthak Ranjan (INR 30 lakh), Daksh Kamra (INR 30 lakh), and Blessing Muzarabani.

Retained players include: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, and Varun Chakaravarthy.