Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Predictions: Kolkata with their deadly spin attack will be favourites

Playing in their fourth game of the season Kolkata Knight Riders will welcome Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 19th game of the season at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 14th April. The teams have had similar performances in the tournament so far and they are coming on the back of a win. Who will win this game?

The Knight Riders initially suffered a setback in their opening match but they have recovered well by registering two consecutive wins which have propelled them to the third position on the points table. Despite the absence of some of their key players such as Shreyas Iyer and Shakib Al-Hasan, the young team led by Nitesh Rana has displayed great determination and resilience, especially under pressure situations. 

KKR's recent win against the Gujarat Titans will serve as a confidence booster. In pursuit of a daunting total of 205, Venkatesh Iyer and Nitesh Rana provided a solid foundation with a 100-run partnership for the 3rd wicket, while Rinku Singh played a superb cameo towards the end to guide his team to victory. He scored five consecutive sixes to win the game for his side. 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a powerful hitter at the top of the batting order, with Andre Russell and Sunil Narine capable of finishing the innings with a flourish. The return of Lockie Ferguson has bolstered KKR's pace attack, which includes Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, and Shardul Thakur. Moreover, the spin bowling department boasts several experienced slow bowlers such as Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Narayan Jagadeesan, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have secured their first win of the season against the Punjab Kings, but they still have a long way to go in climbing up the points table. The team from Hyderabad are placed in the second bottom spot at the moment. Despite having a strong batting lineup on paper, only Rahul Tripathi has performed well so far. 

Harry Brook, the most expensive overseas player, has only scored 26 runs in his three innings. Other players like Mayank Agarwal and Glen Phillips have also struggled to make an impact, and Aiden Markram will be looking to build on his recent form. All-rounders Marco Jansen and Washington Sundar provide some depth to the batting order.

The Sunrisers have a strong pace attack led by Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, and T Natarajan, but their spin attack is considered weak, with Washington Sundar and Mayank Markande lacking the temperament to bowl under pressure. Despite their bowling strength, SRH will face a tough challenge against the in-form batsmen of KKR.

Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Washington Sundar, Marco Jansen, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, Umran Malik, T Natarajan

The Eden Gardens pitch is batsmen-friendly, and it has hosted several high-scoring matches previously. The typical score for the first innings in the IPL at this venue ranges from 180 to 190, and teams batting first will aim to reach the 200-run mark. As the game progresses, the spin bowlers may play a crucial role. The toss-winning captain is likely to opt to bowl first. We expect Kolkata to come away with a victory once again given the heroics in the last game and the exceptional spin lineup.