KKR vs SRH Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2023 match?

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may not have entered the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) with high expectations pinned on their shoulders. However, they've certainly found ways to win matches.

Shardul Thakur pulled their contest against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) out of the fire with a sensational knock before the spinners spun a web around Faf du Plessis and Co.

Then, a truly special effort from Rinku Singh handed defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) the only loss of their campaign thus far.

With two wins from three matches, the Knight Riders have punched well above their weight thus far. They are placed fourth in the IPL 2023 standings with the second-best net run rate in the competition and have established themselves as a team to watch out for.

This is despite their poor roster construction and having a makeshift captain in Shreyas Iyer's absence.

KKR will face another real test when they host the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens on Friday, April 14.

Unlike Kolkata, Hyderabad came into IPL 2023 with one of the strongest sides in the tournament and seemed well set to race away to a playoff spot. Things haven't turned out that way thus far, with the franchise losing their first two matches by comprehensive margins.

However, the Orange Army seem to be finding their feet. They turned in a gritty display in their previous game to hand the Punjab Kings (PBKS) their first loss in the competition, putting two hard-fought points on the board. It also lifted them off the bottom spot.

KKR have won four of their last five contests against SRH. Will the same trend continue this year?

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IPL 2023, KKR vs SRH Match Prediction: Turning Eden Gardens set to challenge Sunrisers

Rahul Tripathi played a superb innings in SRH's last IPL 2023 encounter

The wicket at Eden Gardens hasn't offered the spinners much over the last few IPL seasons, but this year seems to be different. The KKR spin trio spun a web around RCB in their previous game, and a few SRH batters are susceptible against spin.

Harry Brook has had a terrible start to his IPL career, while captain Aiden Markram is far more assured against pace than spin. They also have their strengths, though.

The likes of Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tripathi are more than capable of taking the game by the scruff of its neck. Heinrich Klaasen, meanwhile, is a rare breed of overseas batter who can take on both pace and spin.

The Sunrisers will be boosted by their performance in their last game. Mayank Markande, making his first appearance of the season, scalped four wickets in a threatening display. Washington Sundar and Markram himself could come in handy against some of KKR's left-handers who have issues against off-spin.

Also playing into Hyderabad's hands is the rather weak nature of Kolkata's batting lineup. They have had to rely on astonishing individual efforts to take them to wins so far and haven't put up collective displays.

Some of KKR's biggest match-winners, including Andre Russell and Nitish Rana, haven't really come to the party yet this year. Their spin trio will also be a massive factor in Kolkata.

However, SRH have the resources to beat KKR and also seem to be gelling well as a unit. Markram and Co. can be backed to keep their momentum going, although the home side are also definitely in with a shot.

Prediction: SRH to win Match 19 of IPL 2023.