A cricket match, a bizarre dismissal and a famous adhesive brand combined to create one of the most talked-about moments of IPL 2026.
As Gujarat Titans marched towards victory against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, social media users suddenly began posting memes about Fevicol, the adhesive brand known for its iconic slogan about strong bonds that never break.
The reason was none other than Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan.
What happened during GT vs RR?
Chasing 216 runs, Gujarat Titans were cruising towards victory thanks to a dominant opening partnership between Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill.
The pair had added 167 runs without losing a wicket and appeared firmly in control of the chase.
However, in the 13th over, Sudharsan attempted a shot off Rajasthan Royals bowler Brijesh Sharma. While the ball raced towards the boundary, his bat slipped out of his hands and flew backwards onto his own stumps.
The unusual dismissal left players and fans stunned.
Gill's reaction from the non-striker's end quickly went viral, with the Gujarat captain dropping to his knees in disbelief after witnessing the freak incident.
Why did Fevicol start trending?
The dismissal triggered an avalanche of memes across social media.
Fans jokingly suggested that Sudharsan needed a jar of Fevicol to keep his bat firmly attached to his gloves.
Many users referenced Fevicol's famous advertisements centred on the idea of an unbreakable bond, joking that the batter's connection with his bat appeared to be anything but strong.
Within minutes, Fevicol memes flooded platforms such as X, Instagram and Facebook, turning the adhesive brand into an unexpected talking point during an IPL playoff match. What made the incident even more remarkable was that it was not a one-off occurrence.
Just days earlier, during Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sudharsan had been dismissed in almost identical fashion. Facing Jacob Duffy, the left-hander played a shot before losing control of his bat, which crashed into the stumps and resulted in another hit-wicket dismissal.
The back-to-back incidents created an unwanted IPL record. Sudharsan became the first player in IPL history to be dismissed hit-wicket in two consecutive matches.
Is Sai Sudharsan the unluckiest batter in IPL history?
The story becomes even stranger when looking further back. This was actually the third time Sudharsan had been dismissed hit-wicket in the IPL. His first such dismissal came during IPL 2022 against Mumbai Indians, when he lost balance while facing Kieron Pollard and accidentally disturbed the stumps.
As a result, Sudharsan now holds another unwanted distinction - he is the only batter in IPL history to have been dismissed hit-wicket three times.
Given the rarity of such dismissals, many fans labelled him the unluckiest batter the tournament has ever seen.
Did it affect Gujarat Titans?
Fortunately for Gujarat Titans, the unusual dismissal had little impact on the result.
Gill's side comfortably chased down the target and defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to secure a place in the IPL 2026 final.
The victory set up a title clash with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Gujarat Titans will now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 final on May 31.
Having won the IPL title in their debut season in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2023, the Titans are aiming to add a second championship to their growing trophy cabinet.
For Sudharsan, however, fans will be watching closely to see whether his bat stays firmly in his hands during the biggest match of the seaso