Watch: IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 sees strange toss moment, revives memories of 2011 World Cup final

In a moment reminiscent of the 2011 Cricket World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the coin was flipped twice during the second qualifier of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. After Shubman Gill flipped the coin, it seemed that Parag called heads (though his voice was somewhat muted), and it landed on tails, indicating that the Titans should have won the toss. In fact, Gill appeared to believe he had won the toss as he walked towards Ravi Shastri for the captain's discussion.

However, the match referee stated that he did not hear the call, necessitating a re-toss. Gill was clearly annoyed by the unfolding events. On the second attempt, Parag confidently called 'heads' into the microphone, and the coin landed in his favor. He opted to bat first. @IPL toss is fixed in favor of @rajasthanroyals Clip1: Referee did not hear after coin touching the ground.

He might have seen through distance that @rajasthanroyals lost the toss. Clip2: Obviously @RaviShastriOfc won’t entertain disappointment from Shubhman. pic.twitter.com/6mXjaJe4Yd — Yopla (@Yoplahahaha) May 29, 2026 This moment could serve as a significant highlight as Gill disclosed that GT would have chosen to bat first had they won the toss. It remains to be seen how the Titans will respond to this situation, with further developments only becoming clear once the match concludes. 2011 World Cup Final Déjà Vu In the 2011 World Cup final, the coin was also flipped twice, as the match referee similarly failed to hear the call on the first attempt. Interestingly, RR's head coach, Kumar Sangakkara, was the captain of the Sri Lankan team during that event.

He won the toss after MS Dhoni flipped it for the second time. There is still some debate over who actually won the toss on the first attempt.

Although losing the toss did not hinder India, as they triumphed in the final by six wickets, lifting the trophy after 28 years, with Dhoni earning the Player of the Match (POTM) award by 28 runs. Regarding today's match, RR has fielded an unchanged team, while the Titans made one adjustment, with Sai Kishore taking the place of Kulwant Khejroliya.

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