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Mumbai Indians (MI) have roped in Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman as a replacement for Allah Ghazanfar, who has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 due to an injury, as per the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Mujeeb, known for his variations and mystery spin, has been a key figure in Afghanistan's rise in international cricket. He made headlines early in his career as one of the youngest players to represent Afghanistan and earned an IPL debut at just 17 years old. Since then, he has played over 300 T20 matches across international and domestic circuits, picking up nearly 330 wickets at an impressive economy rate of around 6.5. His experience and ability to bowl in the powerplay as well as the middle overs make him a valuable addition to the MI squad. With Mumbai Indians looking to strengthen their bowling attack, Mujeeb's inclusion could provide the much-needed depth in the spin department. The franchise extended its best wishes to Ghazanfar for a speedy recovery and welcomed Mujeeb into the MI family, hoping for a strong contribution in the upcoming season. The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, ESPNCricifnfo reported on Saturday. The season opener will be played at Eden Gardens on March 22, with the final scheduled for May 25. The official schedule has not been unveiled yet. ESPNCricinfo reported that last year's runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will kickstart their campaign against Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 23 in the afternoon. The 'El-Clasico' of IPL, a clash between five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is set to take place in the evening at Chepauk on the same day. The 10-team cash-rich league will kickstart 12 days after the ICC Champions Trophy final at March 9 and will be played across 12 venues, which includes 10 home venues of each franchise plus (second venue for RR) and Dharamsala (second venue for Punjab Kings). The opening fixture will involve two teams with new captains. RCB recently appointed Rajat Patidar as their new skipper, while Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have not announced their successor to Shreyas Iyer so far. RCB finished at fourth last season, staging an inspiring run to playoffs with six successive wins after just one win in the first eight matches. However, scales have favoured KKR against RCB, with the three-time champions having beaten RCB eight out of 12 times at Kolkata. Punjab Kings (PBKS), who have a new captain and coach duo of Shreyas and Ricky Ponting, will play four matches at Punjab in Mullanpur Stadium, with three of their matches coming in Dharamshala. (ANI)
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