In any tournament or league with a home-and-away system, teams usually try to fortify their home venue, aiming to collect as many points there as possible so that their fortunes do not depend too much on away results.The Indian Premier League is no exception. With IPL 2026 entering the business end of the league phase and the battle for playoff spots intensifying every day, teams are scrambling to get maximum points from each outing – and home advantage is increasingly decisive.
gave IPL With 48 of the league’s 70 matches done and dusted, the 2026 standings are still crowded. There are no clear trends, although a few teams like current league leaders Punjab Kings and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have occupied the top two spots for the majority of the season so far.Points difference between top and sixth placed PBKS Chennai Super Kings There are only three, each team has only 4-5 matches left. In such a tight race, the remaining home fixtures may ultimately decide the final standings.
LSG captain Rishabh Pant with Nicholas Pooran (ANI Photo)
Home farm and bottom halfOne clear trend from the 48 matches so far is that the teams competing for the top four – essentially the current top six – have better home records this season.In contrast, the bottom four – Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Supergiants – have struggled badly at home.LSG, currently bottom, have lost all four of their home matches, including a Super Over loss to KKR. KKR have won just one of four at Eden Gardens, while DC have won just one of five at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. MI have won two out of six at Wankhede. Those poor homecomings have left all four teams fighting to stay relevant in the playoff race.LSG and MI can reach a maximum of 14 points – historically the minimum to qualify – while KKR and DC can reach 17 and 16 respectively. However, this would require a drastic change in their home form.Except for MI, who have only one home game left, the rest still have several matches at home. DC have two home fixtures remaining, while KKR and LSG have three each. Their playoff hopes may hinge on how they perform in those games.
Top half ride home advantageIn contrast, the top teams have counted on their home conditions. PBKS have won three of four at home and need just two more wins to reach 17 points, a safe place for playoff qualification, with three home games still to play.RCB have been even stronger, losing just once at home and winning four out of five. With two home matches, those fixtures could seal their playoff spot.Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, all on 12 points, also have solid home records and will be looking to maximize their remaining home games to grab the lead.CSK, despite finishing sixth, remains in contention mostly because of their strong home form. With two home matches remaining, they may need to win both — and possibly all of the remaining games — to move into the top four.As the league phase draws to a close, one factor is becoming increasingly clear: In IPL 2026, the path to the playoffs is being forged at home.
IPL 2026 Points Table After Match No. 48:
