KKR vs GT Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2023 match?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) may never see a Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) clash go by without that Rinku Singh effort being brought up. Approximately 20 days after it transpired, we bring it up for the first time.
KKR would be placed even lower in the IPL 2023 standings if not for that last-over heist. Apart from their thrilling win over the defending champions, the Knight Riders have managed to secure only four more points, all against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Rinku-mania meant that Yash Dayal hasn't sniffed the GT playing XI since, in a result that has proven to be a boon for the franchise. Veteran speedster Mohit Sharma has been a revelation since entering the fray, bagging multiple Player of the Match awards and impressing everyone with his timelessness.
The Titans are currently second in the points table with five wins from seven matches. They will move to the summit if they beat KKR on Saturday, April 29 at Eden Gardens in the afternoon fixture, with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) having played a game more than them for an equal number of points.
KKR have already shown that they have what it takes to secure the double over an opposition side in IPL 2023. Can they spoil the potential table-toppers' party? Or can GT exact revenge for that fateful night in Ahmedabad?
IPL 2023, KKR vs GT Match Prediction: Gujarat look to exact revenge for Rinku madness
There's a reason why KKR were in the position that led to Rinku needing to hit several successive sixes in the first place, and the reason is that they're a significantly weaker outfit than GT, on paper at least.
The Knight Riders have been boosted by the inclusion of Jason Roy, who seems to be in stellar form. Venkatesh Iyer and skipper Nitish Rana have made some important batting contributions even as key men Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have been way off the pace this year.
KKR's pace attack hasn't inspired any confidence, but they've managed to rely on spin to pull off wins, especially at home. They have a plethora of all-round options and could have another one if they bring Shardul Thakur back into the mix.
GT, meanwhile, have continued from where they left off last year. They pulled off a superb come-from-behind win over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and followed it up with a convincing 55-run win against the Mumbai Indians (MI). All signs point towards them finishing in the top two once again.
Much of that can be attributed to their lethal bowling attack. Noor Ahmad is slowly forming a dangerous pairing with the ever-reliable Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Shami is as deadly in the powerplay as ever. If Gujarat can bring back Alzarri Joseph, they could have KKR in all sorts of trouble.
Overall, while Kolkata do have the spin attack to win at home, they could fall short in other departments. While it would be silly to suggest that they don't have a chance, it will certainly be tough for them to take two points from this fixture.
Prediction: GT to win Match 39 of IPL 2023.