Blessing Muzarabani

Perhaps the most exciting fast-bowling talent to emerge from Zimbabwe since Heath Streak, Blessing Muzarabani has a whip-like action reminiscent of Kagiso Rabada and the ability to extract steep pace and bounce with his 6ft 8in frame. They have made him one of the defining faces of a newly resurgent Zimbabwe side.

Seven-year-old Muzarabani was discovered by his school coach while training at the Takashinga Cricket Club, on the outskirts of Harare. By 2017 he had graduated through the age-group sides at Mashonaland Eagles to Zimbabwe U-19s, through the U-14s. He caught the eye of Tatenda Taibu, who slotted him into his domestic side, Rising Stars, for a three-month tour of England, and then returned to Zimbabwe to play five first-class matches for Stars, taking 18 wickets at an average of 18.00. That put him on the fast track into the Test side and he made his debut in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Gqeberha in December 2017, but with no wickets to show for it.

Muzarabani went wicketless again on ODI debut a month later, against Bangladesh, and found only middling success against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan that year. His selection to the national side had coincided with a downturn in the fortunes of Zimbabwe cricket, and after the team failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, he signed a three-year Kolpak deal with Northamptonshire, for whom he took 17 wickets at 27.47 in seven first-class appearances.

Muzarabani returned to the national side in 2020, after Brexit forced an early release from his Kolpak contract, and made an impact in his very first series back, picking up his maiden ODI five-for and 2 for 2 in a Super Over to clinch a win against Pakistan. In 2021, he starred in Zimbabwe's two-day rout of Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, picking up six wickets at an economy of 10.33.

That year he also signed up with Multan Sultans for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as a replacement for Obed McCoy and picked up ten wickets in six games. He was also a net bowler for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022. In 2024, Muzarabani turned out for Karachi Kings in the PSL. He has also been part of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Gulf Giants in ILT20.

- The tall Zimbabwe fast bowler had his first tryst with the IPL when he was a net bowler with Lucknow Super Giants in 2022. He was not officially on the roster, though, and did not get a team in 2023 and 2024.

- During IPL 2025, he was selected as a temporary replacement at Royal Challengers Bengaluru to make up for Lungi Ngidi's absence in the back-end of the tournament, and was part of the title-winning squad even though he did not get a game.

- In IPL 2026, Muzarabani originally went unsold at the auction, but Kolkata Knight Riders brought him in as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, who KKR had to release following BCCI instructions in the wake of deteriorating political relations between India and Bangladesh. That also meant Muzarabani had to pull out of his PSL 2026 deal with Islamabad United.