Kamal Ghorui
In any tournament or league with a home-and-away system, teams usually try to make their home venue a fortress, aiming to collect as many points as possible there so that their fate does not rely heavily on away results.The Indian Premier League is no exception. With IPL 2026 entering the business end of the league stage and the fight for playoff spots intensifying every day, teams are scrambling to maximise points from each outing — and home advantage is increasingly becoming decisive.
The IPL 2026 standings are still very crowded even after 48 of the 70 league matches are done and dusted. There are no clear trends, even though 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.The difference in points between PBKS at the top and sixth-placed Chennai Super Kings is just three, with each team left with only 4–5 matches. In such a tight race, remaining home fixtures could ultimately decide the final standings.
LSG captain Rishabh Pant with Nicholas Pooran (ANI Photo)
Home form and bottom halfOne clear trend from the 48 matches so far is that teams in contention for the top four — essentially the current top six — have the better home records this season.In contrast, those in the bottom four — Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants — have struggled badly at home.LSG, currently at the bottom, have lost all four of their home matches, including a Super Over defeat to KKR. KKR have won just one of four at Eden Gardens, while DC have managed only one win in five at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. MI have won two of six at the Wankhede. These poor home returns 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 bare minimum for qualification — while KKR and DC can get to 17 and 16 respectively. However, that will require a drastic turnaround in their home form.Except MI, who have just one home game left, the others still have multiple matches at home. DC have two home fixtures remaining, while KKR and LSG have three each. Their playoff hopes may well hinge on how they perform in these games.
Top half riding home advantageIn contrast, the top teams have made their home conditions count. PBKS have won three of four at home and need just two more wins to reach the 17-point mark, a safe space for playoff qualification, with three home games still to play.RCB have been even stronger, losing just once at home and winning four of five. With two home matches left, those fixtures could seal their playoff spot.Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, all on 12 points, have also built solid home records and will look to maximise their remaining home games to gain an edge.CSK, despite being sixth, remain in contention largely due to their strong home form. With two home matches left, they may need to win both — and possibly all remaining games — to break into the top four.As the league stage nears its conclusion, one factor is becoming increasingly clear: in IPL 2026, the road to the playoffs is being shaped at home.
IPL 2026 Points Table after Match No. 48:
