IPL hopefuls, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), received a late addition to their roster as Australian fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood, completed his arrival and joined the squad in Lucknow, bolstering their bid for the team's maiden title.
Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood has joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad in Lucknow, marking an anticipated return to the IPL 2025 tournament. After weeks of anticipation, Hazlewood's arrival within the RCB camp comes just ahead of the upcoming playoffs.
The pacer's absence was keenly felt in several recent IPL matches, particularly in the game against SunRisers Hyderabad where RCB conceded over 230 runs, resulting in an emphatic loss for Pat Cummins and his team.
Hazlewood, RCB's standout bowler in IPL 2025, boasts an impressive 18 wickets in 10 matches, displaying exceptional prowess both with the new ball and at the death. His performance has been instrumental in securing RCB's qualification for the playoffs.
Initially, rumors swirled that Hazlewood would opt out of returning to India due to preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa at the Lord's Cricket Ground. Furthermore, he had been nursing a shoulder injury that kept him out of RCB's fixture against Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium before the tournament's suspension.
However, our website was the first to report that Hazlewood would be rejoining the RCB camp for the playoffs. Upon his arrival in Lucknow, the RCB official Twitter handle warmly welcomed him with a post featuring a picture of Hazlewood and the caption, "He's here. Welcome back, Josh Reginald Hazlewood!"
Speaking about his comeback, Hazlewood expressed his excitement in a social media video, stating, "Yeah obviously, it's great to be back. Made the most of the last week in Brisbane and bowled quite a few overs. Everything is feeling very good. Hopefully, I’ll get the ball rolling. Looking forward to practice."
It remains uncertain if Hazlewood will feature in RCB's last league stage match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on May 27. To secure a Top 2 spot in the points table, RCB needs to secure a win against Rishabh Pant and his team while also relying on a slip-up between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings.
Josh HazlewoodRoyal Challengers Bangalore
The upcoming IPL 2025 playoffs will be pivotal for RCB, and Hazlewood’s presence is expected to shore up their chances of clinching their maiden IPL title.
India's cricket fervor heightens as Josh Hazlewood, RCB's standout sportsman in IPL 2025, returns to the sports field in Lucknow. His sports prowess, having taken 18 wickets in 10 matches, could be instrumental in securing RCB's first IPL title in the upcoming sports event.
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