In an incredibly dramatic moment during the IPL 2025 Eliminator at the New PCA Stadium in Chandigarh, Gujarat Titans’ (GT) wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis was dismissed hit wicket in the seventh over chasing a target against Mumbai Indians (MI). As Mendis faced off against a short delivery from Mitchell Santner, he moved back deep into his crease and inadvertently clipped the stumps with his back leg. He was dismissed for a quick 20 from 10 deliveries and became the third player in IPL history to be dismissed hit wicket.

Mendis was drafted into the squad as a replacement for Jos Buttler, who had to leave for national duty. He debuted for the franchise in this knockout encounter and endured a difficult day on field. First he dropped a catch each of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, highlighting his inefficiency behind the stumps. The dropped chances allowed MI to finish with a good score and put pressure on GT’s chase, knowing it was a do-or-die match.

At the crease, though, Mendis looked promising with the bat. When Shubman Gill fell first ball, he came in with Sai Sudharsan and attacked immediately. He hit two big sixes off Trent Boult and pushed momentum back into GT. The duo brought up a 50-run stand in just 28 deliveries, lifting GT's hopes before Mendis’ rare dismissal halted the surge.

Momentum with GT Despite Unusual Dismissal

Mendis' hit-wicket offered MI a brief opportunity to claw back into the game, but GT has continued to keep the scoreboard ticking. In-form Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sunder have now settled into the chase comfortably, exercising poise and power while MI continues to bear down on them.

Watch the video here

HITWICKET IN THE ELIMINATOR. 🤯

- Kusal Mendis just lost his wicket due to hitting the stumps. 😱pic.twitter.com/hwfMEqRdYT

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 30, 2025

Also Read: Armed Forces chiefs to miss IPL 2025 final honoring Operation Sindoor

At the latest update, Gujarat Titans are 108/2 in 10.2 overs. With wickets in hand and good batting depth, GT continues to be in a position to push for a place in Qualifier 2 and keep their IPL 2025 title hopes alive.

In this high-pressure IPL 2025 encounter between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Krunal Pandya was dismissed in an unusual manner that added to the match drama. While chasing a challenging target of 232 runs, Pandya fell victim to the rare hit-wicket dismissal. While playing an aggressive shot, Pandya accidentally dislodged the bails with his bat before he played the shot, ending his innings far, far earlier than anyone hoped and leaving RCB in dire straits in terms of overall run rate. 

This dismissal was only the 17th hit-wicket in IPL history and the second at the time in IPL 2025, showing how rare this mode of dismissal is at the apex of the sport. As a moment to notice in the match, this dismissal could not have come at a worse time for RCB, as they were already under pressure against an in-form SRH bowling attack led by Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga. Pandya's exit further destabilized RCB's middle order and contributed to their eventual collapse and defeat by 42 runs. 

In spite of Krunal's unfortunate dismissal, the match had plenty of highlights, from Ishan Kishan's explosive unbeaten 94 to SRH's tremendous bowling performances. The hit-wicket incident, while rare, was a reminder of how even the smallest lapse in concentration or balance can prove costly in the fast-paced IPL environment.

Watch the video here

When was the last time you saw a Hit-Wicket .. courtesy Krunal Pandya.

Only HaaRCB can lose last 7 wickets in 24 balls 🫡🫡#RCBvsSRH pic.twitter.com/KPcQr1ddQR

— Atulya (@DesiMemesTweets) May 23, 2025

Also Read: IPL 2025, Match 65: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Full Match Highlights

The Impact of a Rare Hit-Wicket Dismissal

Hit-wicket dismissals are easily the most odd ball way on which a batsman can get out and usually only happen when a batsman loses balance or mis-times a shot. For Krunal Pandya, who is typically an aggressive but still composed batsman, the dismissal will be both surprising and unfortunate because hit-wicket dismissals negatively impact a player's confidence and change the momentum to the fielding side.

From the context of the game, Krunal Pandya's dismissals increased the pressure on RCB's batting lineup. Therefore, with wickets falling around him, it was hard for the team to maintain the momentum they needed to chase down a big score. What transpired later was a rare mode of dismissal that in a way, symbolically captured RCB's struggles during the innings. As IPL 2025 moves ahead, players and teams will want to restrain such oddities and focus on being calm and composed under pressure in order to continue to pursue their playoff ambitions.

A dramatic moment took place during the IPL 2025 opener between KKR and RCB at Eden Gardens when Sunil Narine had a lucky escape from what looked like a hit-wicket dismissal. Though he was eventually out for 44 off 26 balls, the incident left RCB players frustrated and questioning the decision.

It happened in the 7th over, bowled by Rasikh Salam. Narine tried to duck under a sharp short ball, but in the process, his bat accidentally hit the stumps, and the bails lit up. However, the umpires ruled him not out and signaled a wide, as the ball was already in wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma’s gloves, and Narine had completed his shot.

Why Was Sunil Narine Not Given Out Hit Wicket?

In cricket, a batter is given out hit wicket if they break the stumps while playing a shot, taking off for a run, or trying to protect their wicket with a second hit. But if the stumps are broken after the shot is finished and the ball is no longer in play, the batter is not out. In Sunil Narine’s case, his bat hit the stumps only after the ball was safely in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Since the delivery was already over, the umpires said that not out as per Law 35.2.

Narine was NOT OUT anyway.

As per Law 35.1.1 of MCC, "The striker is out Hit wicket if, after the bowler has entered the delivery stride and while the ball is in play."

The ball wasn't in play here, as the Umpire had already declared a wide.

So, Narine was NOT OUT. pic.twitter.com/5rxVNEY0cr

— Hardik Lashkari (@HardikLashkari1) March 22, 2025

ALSO READ: Rahane Live Up To The Expectations Regarding Captaincy Pressure
As for the match, RCB’s new captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and chose to bowl first. They got off to a great start with Josh Hazlewood dismissing Quinton de Kock for just 4 runs in the first over. But KKR, the defending champions, bounced back well. Captain Ajinkya Rahane smashed a quick 50 off just 25 balls, while Narine played an entertaining knock of 44 off 26.