IPL 2026: KKR signs Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani to bolster pace attack

Kolkata Knight Riders have signed Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani for the IPL 2026 season. The 6'8" pacer, known for his steep bounce, joins as a replacement and was a joint second-highest wicket-taker in the recent T20 World Cup.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who will join the squad for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

A Proven T20 Performer

According to a press release from the franchise, the 6 ft 8" right-arm quick has emerged as one of Zimbabwe's leading pace bowlers in the shortest format, known for his steep bounce and ability to strike in key phases of the innings. Muzarabani brings significant T20 experience, having claimed over 90 wickets in more than 80 T20 Internationals at an average of around 21, with best figures of 3/8. He was also the joint second-highest wicket-taker (13) in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026. His pace and consistency across global leagues and international cricket add further depth to KKR's pace attack heading into the season.

Contract Details and Background

Muzarabani is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Tuesday, and the KKR will play their first fixture of the season against the Mumbai Indians on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.Muzarabani is the only Zimbabwean cricketer featuring in this year's IPL. He was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad last year but did not play a match. RCB secured their maiden IPL title last year.The 29-year-old lanky pacer withdrew from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to feature in the IPL for the upcoming season. He will join the squad as a replacement for Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman, who was released by the franchise following the BCCI guidelines.

KKR Squad for IPL 2026

New players

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), Blessing Muarabani.

Retained players

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

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