The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have signed Blessing Muzarabani, a star medium-pacer from Zimbabwe who has been a regular in his nation’s bowling lineup for the last seven or eight years, to replace Lungi Ngidi, who will depart for South Africa for national duty after May 26.

Muzarabani has taken 78 wickets in his 70 T20I appearances so far. In addition, he has played in 55 ODIs and 12 Test matches for Zimbabwe.

Muzarabani would pay Rs 75 lakh to join Bengaluru.

The great bowler for Zimbabwe can extract sharp speed as the ball comes from a height of 6 feet 8 inches, and his motion would remind one of that of South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, who is presently playing for the Gujarat Titans.

When Muzarabani was seven years old and practicing at the Takashinga Cricket Club on the outskirts of Harare, his school coach saw him.

Muzarabani advanced from the Mashonaland Eagles age-group teams to the Zimbabwe U19s by 2017, having previously played for the U14s.

Former wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu saw Muzarabani and added him to his home side, Rising Stars, for a three-month tour of England before sending him back to Zimbabwe to play five first-class matches.