CPL 2023: Ambati Rayudu, Blessing Muzarabani leave tournament due to personal reasons

Indian batter Ambati Rayudu has left the Caribbean Premier League 2023 citing personal reasons. He became the second Indian player after Pravin Tambe to play in the tournament after he announced his retirement from international and Indian domestic cricket following the IPL 2023 final, which he won with Chennai Super Kings. 

Signed as a marquee player by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (SKN), the right-handed batter had a forgettable start as he got out for a duck in his first innings. He played a couple of more innings and scored 32 and 15. Now, the 37-year-old has decided to return home due to personal reasons. Rayudu finished with an average of 15.66 and a strike rate of 117.50.

Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who was also with the Patriots, is set to leave early owing to personal reasons. He played three games and picked up a solitary wicket, going at an economy rate in excess of 10. Rayudu and Muzarabani have been replaced by Englishmen Will Smeed and Benny Howell.

The Patriots are struggling in CPL 2023 as they are yet to win a game in the competition. After their first two matches were abandoned, Evin Lewis' men suffered four consecutive losses to find themselves stuck at the bottom of the points table with four games left. Sherfane Rutherford replaced Lewis as captain of the Patriots for their most recent encounter against Trinbago Knight Riders. However, the change in captaincy couldn't turn their fortunes.

Carlos Brathwaite to replace Donovon Ferreira on temporary basis

The experienced Carlos Brathwaite returns to the CPL after two years as he will be filling in for Donovon Ferreira, who is off to national duty. Ferreira played only one match for Barbados Royals in CPL 2023 before joining the South African squad for the three-match T20I series against Australia at home.

Brathwaite has the experience of playing 77 CPL matches, having played for four different teams. Meanwhile, the Royals are placed at No. 5 in the points table with three points from four games. They will face Jamaica Tallawahs on Friday, September 1 in Bridgetown, Barbados.