The Gujarat Titans (GT) have continued their impressive form since winning the IPL title in 2022, with two wins out of two in the 2023 campaign. Hardik Pandya’s side beat Chennai Super Kings in their opener before winning away at Delhi Capitals. On Sunday, April 9, they will face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Ahmedabad, with the chance to move to the top of the table.
Despite KKR being one of the less fancied teams this season, they did manage to secure a home victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last outing. Their spin trio of Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Rahul Chahar played a crucial role in their win, and they will be hoping for a similar performance against GT.
However, GT’s bowling attack, led by Mohammad Shami, Alzarri Joseph, and Rashid Khan, is likely to prove too much for KKR’s inexperienced batting lineup. Venkatesh Iyer and Mandeep Singh have both struggled so far this season, and the middle order is yet to inspire confidence.
Furthermore, KKR’s weakness against quality pace bowling could prove to be their undoing. GT has three world-class pace bowlers in Shami, Joseph, and Josh Little, who can trouble even the best of batsmen. Captain Hardik Pandya, who can also bowl some lethal bouncers, will add to the already formidable attack.
The pitch report suggests that the wicket in Ahmedabad is not a graveyard for spinners, which will be a relief for KKR. Chakaravarthy and Narine could flourish in the middle overs, particularly if they can dismiss Shubman Gill early on.
In terms of weather, the forecast for Ahmedabad on Sunday is mostly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high of 40 degrees Celsius.
As for the probable 11 for both sides, GT is expected to go with the same lineup that won against Delhi Capitals, while KKR could make a few changes after their win against RCB.
Here are the probable 11s for both teams:
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, HH Pandya(C), Sai Sudharsan, DA Miller, R Tewatia, Wriddhiman Saha(wk), Rashid Khan, M Shami, J Little, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Mandeep Singh, RK Singh, N Rana(C), AD Russell, SP Narine, VR Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(wk), Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, UT Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
In their previous encounter last season, the Titans beat the Knight Riders by eight runs. However, with the match being played on a different pitch this time around, it will be interesting to see how both teams fare.
Overall, it seems unlikely that KKR will be able to upset the defending champions, and GT is the clear favorite to win the match. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Lockie Ferguson will be eager to prove their worth against their former franchise, but GT’s unbeaten record so far this season suggests they will be too strong for KKR.
Prediction: While KKR will put up a good fight, the Titans’ superior bowling attack is likely to prove too much for the Knight Riders to handle. Therefore, we predict that the Gujarat Titans will emerge victorious in this match.
