Is Josh Hazlewood playing today in MI vs RCB IPL 2026 clash?
During the MI vs RCB match in the IPL 2026 match 20, there is a big concern from the RCB dugout, whether Josh Hazlewood is playing or not.
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On Sunday night (April 12), the five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are hosting the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 20th game of the IPL 2026. For the match, there is one of the important questions in the RCB squad, whether the Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood is playing the match or not.
The reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have got a good start in the new season. RCB started the season with two back-to-back wins, as they thrashed SunRisers Hyderabad (by six wickets) and Chennai Super Kings (by 43 runs) at home.
However, in their last match against the hosts Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, RCB suffered a thrashing defeat by six wickets, despite scoring a fighting total of 201/8. The 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a carnage-filled knock of 78 off 26 balls, where the left-handed batter smashed eight fours and seven sixes. Later, Dhruv Jurel ensured a comfortable win with a knock of 81 not out off 43 balls with eight fours and three sixes.
IPL 2026, Match 20 (MI vs RCB): Josh Hazlewood is absent
After winning the toss, Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya sent RCB to bat first. Meanwhile, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar confirmed that the Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood isn't playing the match, while the New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy has returned to the squad.
The picture is not clear why Hazlewood is missing the game, while he isn't present even at the ground. It can only be a precautionary measure to provide enough rest for him, while the IPL 2026 season still have long way to go. Hazlewood missed the entire home Ashes (2025-26) before another injury forced him to miss out on the entire ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Now, Hazlewood is still in the recovery process, slowly restarting his game journey.
Josh Hazlewood played one match in IPL 2026
While RCB are playing their fourth match of the season, Hazlewood has played only one game. It was their previous match against the hosts Rajasthan Royals. Although the Royals' journey was unsuccessful for the defending champions, Hazlewood was their second-best bowler with the bowling figures of 4-0-44-2.
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