Gujarat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan became the headline in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 after being dismissed hit-wicket during their clash with Rajasthan Royals at Mullanpur on Friday. The incident marked the second straight match in which Sudharsan had fallen to the same mode of dismissal—after it also happened in Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru—making him the first batter in IPL history to be hit-wicket in consecutive innings. In the moment, Sudharsan drove a low full-toss from Brijesh Sharma through the off side for a boundary, but the bat slipped from his control and ended up striking the stumps.
The dismissal visibly rattled Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill, who was at the non-striker’s end. Gill appeared extremely upset, and his reaction escalated as he even dropped down to the ground in disbelief while watching the ball take the wicket in such a rare fashion.
Coming into the game, Gujarat Titans delivered a clinical response to set up their place in the IPL final. Gill produced a brilliant 104 as the 2022 champions beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Qualifier 2, booking their spot in the tournament’s title match on Friday. Set a target of 215, GT completed the chase with room to spare, reaching 219 for three in 18.4 overs while benefiting from Gill’s 53-ball innings of 104, which included three maximums and 15 fours.
Gill’s 167-run opening partnership with Sudharsan laid the foundation for the chase. Sudharsan made a valuable contribution of 58 off 32 balls before his dismissal, but the momentum remained firmly with Gujarat as they kept the required rate under control. The chase ultimately proved straightforward once the opening stand was established.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals had posted 214 for six, powered by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s outstanding knock of 96 and a quickfire 38 not out from Donovan Ferreira. With the innings taking shape through those two contributions, RR set up a total that demanded intensity from the chasing side.
Reflecting on the match after the loss, Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag said the target was “a par score” and that it was defendable. He pointed out that after the heavy roller, conditions improved for the team in the second innings, describing how the bowlers managed to get grip and how the slower deliveries did well. Parag felt 230 would have been a par mark, adding that anything around 240 would have posed a more difficult challenge, but conceded that Gujarat’s need for early wickets in the chase became harder when that early breakthrough did not arrive. He also summed up the season by highlighting the positives, noting that despite the expectation that the squad would not qualify—given many players were young and inexperienced—several youngsters delivered and will be able to grow further from this experience.
Parag also spoke about Sooryavanshi’s innings, saying he could not put it into words because there is usually a way of scoring quickly through slogging, but the batter’s approach was different. He noted that Sooryavanshi calculated and played his shots during the knock, and he expressed hope that the youngster continues to do well in his career, helps Rajasthan Royals succeed, and one day brings the franchise a second title.
