Gujarat Titans produced one of their best batting performances of the season to defeat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and book a place in the IPL 2026 final.
The run chase featured several memorable moments, from explosive batting displays to unexpected incidents that quickly became talking points among fans.
One of those moments involved Sai Sudharsan, who suffered a bizarre hit-wicket dismissal for the second consecutive playoff match. Batting on 58, the left-hander smashed a delivery towards the boundary, but his bat slipped out of his hands and crashed into the stumps. The unusual dismissal left players and fans stunned, especially as Sudharsan had been dismissed similarly during Qualifier 1 against RCB.
The incident also sparked a viral reaction from GT captain Shubman Gill. Standing at the non-striker's end, Gill dropped to his knees in disbelief after witnessing Sudharsan's unfortunate dismissal. While Sudharsan looked on helplessly, Gill's disappointed reaction quickly spread across social media and became one of the most talked-about moments from the match.
Watch the viral moment here:
Sai Sudharsan's freak hit wicket during Qualifier 2 — What exactly happened and when?
The bizarre incident took place in the 13th over of the Gujarat Titans' chase when Sai Sudharsan was batting brilliantly on 58. Facing Brijesh Sharma, the left-hander sliced a full toss behind square for a boundary and looked set to continue his impressive innings.
However, immediately after playing the shot, Sudharsan lost control of his bat. The bat slipped out of his hands and flew back onto the stumps, dislodging the bales. As a result, he was ruled hit wicket in one of the most unusual dismissals of the IPL 2026 season. Remarkably, it was the second consecutive playoff match in which Sudharsan was dismissed similarly after also suffering a hit-wicket dismissal in Qualifier 1 against RCB.
The unusual moment left everyone stunned. Sudharsan stood in disbelief with his hands on his head, while Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill dropped to his knees at the non-striker's end after witnessing the dismissal. Players from both teams and the packed crowd were left shocked as one of the strangest moments of the season unfolded in Mullanpur.
Gill's disbelief caught on camera: The viral moment every cricket fan is talking about right now
Gujarat Titanscaptain Shubman Gill was left stunned after Sai Sudharsan's bizarre hit-wicket dismissal during Qualifier 2. Standing at the non-striker's end, Gill could hardly believe what he had witnessed as Sudharsan's bat slipped from his hands and crashed into the stumps. The GT skipper's reaction, as he dropped to his knees in disbelief, quickly went viral across social media.
Despite the freak dismissal, the Indianbatter once again underlined his importance to the Gujarat Titans with a fluent knock of 58. The left-hander looked in complete control and had put GT in a strong position before his innings came to an unexpected end in one of the strangest dismissals of the season.
Speaking after the match, Gill admitted that he had never seen anything like it before. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. Two matches in a row, the way he got out," Gill said. The GT captain then joked about the incident, saying he might have to follow a fan suggestion he saw online. "I saw a video on social media about taping his hand. I think I'm going to have to do that in the next match," he added with a smile.
From the dressing room to social media — How fans reacted to Sudharsan's stunning hit-wicket dismissal
Sai Sudharsan's bizarre hit-wicket dismissal quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of Qualifier 2. Having already been dismissed similarly during Qualifier 1, the Gujarat Titans opener once again saw his bat crash into the stumps after slipping from his hands. The unusual incident left players, commentators, and fans stunned.
The reactions were immediate, both on and off the field. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gillwas seen dropping to his knees in disbelief at the non-striker's end, while clips of the dismissal spread rapidly across social media. Fans flooded platforms with memes, jokes, and reactions, struggling to believe that the same batter had suffered two such dismissals in consecutive playoff matches. Here is how the people reacted:
Despite the freak dismissal, Sudharsan's season remains nothing short of outstanding. The left-hander has scored more than 700 runs and played a crucial role in the Gujarat Titans' run to the IPL 2026 final. While the unusual dismissal dominated online discussions, it did little to overshadow another impressive campaign from one of the tournament's standout performers.