IPL 2022: Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani to join Lucknow Super Giants as net bowler

Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani is set to join Lucknow Super Giants as a net bowler ahead of the 15^th edition of the Indian Premier League. He was earlier believed to be joining the team as English pacer Mark Wood’s replacement after the latter pulled out from the league due to an injury. However, recent reports suggest Muzarabani, 25, will only be with the debutant IPL franchise in the capacity of a net bowler.

The speculations with regards to Muzarabani’s IPL participation were rife after the Indian High Commission in Harare posted his picture alongside the High Commissioner. “Ambassador met with Mr Blessing Muzarabani, the Zimbabwean bowler, as he prepared to leave for #IPL2022. Ambassador wished him & his team #LucknowSuperGiants the very best,” the High Commission wrote in a post.

A Cricbuzz report, meanwhile, has confirmed that the “Zimbabwean will be joining the team only as a net bowler”. An official confirmation in the regard remains awaited as the LSG officials, citing their confidentiality contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, have stayed mum on the matter.

Muzarabani, who had a base price of INR 50 lakh, did not attract any bid in the mega auction, held in Bengaluru last month. However, pacer Wood, who was roped in by the Super Giants for a hefty sum of INR 7.5 crore at the two-day event, picked up a right elbow injury during England’s first Test against West Indies in the three-match series. Resultantly, he stood ruled out of the remainder of the series and the IPL.

Muzarabani, the lanky pacer, who has 44 T20 wickets in his 40-match career and an economy rate of 7.91, would have been only the fourth player from Zimbabwe after Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor and Ray Price to feature as a player in the cash-rich league had he played.

Meanwhile, the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League, a ten-team affair following the addition of the Super Giants and the Gujarat Titans, commences from March 26, with the defending champions CSK taking on Kolkata Knight Riders.