IPL 2026 power rankings: who can move first from zero points?
IPL 2026 has not started yet, so all 10 teams begin on zero points and nobody leads the table at this stage. The confirmed opener is Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sat Mar 28, 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. This IPL 2026 power rankings piece is about the first move from the blank slate: who has the softest early landing, and who is staring at the sharpest first stretch.
The first 20 confirmed matches already split the field into early movers and early testers. Some teams get home comfort fast, some face travel almost immediately, and some have to survive a stacked run before the table has even had time to form.
First 20 confirmed fixtures
| Match No. | Fixture | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Sat Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Sun Mar 29 | 7:30 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Mon Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 4 | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Tue Mar 31 | 7:30 PM | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 5 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Wed Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Thu Apr 2 | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 7 | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | Fri Apr 3 | 7:30 PM | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 8 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Sat Apr 4 | 3:30 PM | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 9 | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Sat Apr 4 | 7:30 PM | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Sun Apr 5 | 3:30 PM | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 11 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | Sun Apr 5 | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 12 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Mon Apr 6 | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Tue Apr 7 | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 14 | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Wed Apr 8 | 7:30 PM | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 15 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Thu Apr 9 | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Fri Apr 10 | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 17 | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Sat Apr 11 | 3:30 PM | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 18 | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | Sat Apr 11 | 7:30 PM | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 19 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Sun Apr 12 | 3:30 PM | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 20 | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sun Apr 12 | 7:30 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
IPL 2026 power rankings
| Rank | Team | Opening Fixture | Date | Time (IST) | Venue | Why this early schedule matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Sat Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | They get the season’s first shot at momentum, then return for CSK at home on Apr 5. That makes their opening week the cleanest early launch among the ten. |
| 2 | Mumbai Indians | vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Sun Mar 29 | 7:30 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | MI open at Wankhede, then face DC in Delhi on Apr 4 and RCB at home on Apr 12. That gives them a strong chance to set the tone before most teams have settled. |
| 3 | Lucknow Super Giants | vs Delhi Capitals | Wed Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | LSG start at home and do not leave the spotlight for long. Their path is compact: SRH in Hyderabad on Apr 5, then GT back in Lucknow on Apr 12. |
| 4 | Punjab Kings | vs Gujarat Titans | Tue Mar 31 | 7:30 PM | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali | PBKS get a home opener and then another home date soon after against SRH on Apr 11. The gap is useful: they can bank an early result, then reset without a harsh travel squeeze. |
| 5 | Kolkata Knight Riders | vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Thu Apr 2 | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | KKR’s first home game arrives quickly, and the next two fixtures keep them in a familiar rhythm: PBKS on Apr 6 and LSG on Apr 9 at Eden. That is a strong base for early points. |
| 6 | Rajasthan Royals | vs Chennai Super Kings | Mon Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | RR open in Jaipur and stay there for two more high-value home tests: MI on Apr 7 and RCB on Apr 10. Few teams get that kind of repeated comfort this early. |
| 7 | Gujarat Titans | vs Rajasthan Royals | Sat Apr 4 | 7:30 PM | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | GT begin at home, but the next two listed fixtures are both away: DC on Apr 8 and LSG on Apr 12. Their early edge depends on making the most of the first home night. |
| 8 | Chennai Super Kings | vs Rajasthan Royals | Mon Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | CSK open away, then get PBKS at Chepauk on Apr 3 and DC at Chepauk on Apr 11. The opener matters because the home rhythm does not arrive immediately. |
| 9 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sat Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | SRH are in the opener, but the route after that is tougher: KKR in Kolkata on Apr 2, LSG at home on Apr 5, then PBKS in Mohali on Apr 11. That is a fast-moving start with little room to breathe. |
| 10 | Delhi Capitals | vs Lucknow Super Giants | Wed Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | DC wait until Match 8 for their first home game, where they meet MI on Apr 4. With GT on Apr 8 and CSK on Apr 11 following soon after, they have the sharpest early squeeze. |
What the early order says
This is still a blank table, but the schedule already draws a line between comfort and pressure. RCB, MI, LSG, PBKS, KKR, and RR have the best chance to move first because their early fixtures offer home rhythm or repeat familiarity.
The hardest opening stretch belongs to DC, SRH, and CSK. DC wait longest for home relief, SRH face a quick travel chain, and CSK open away before their Chepauk run can settle in.
The double-header days on Apr 4, Apr 5, Apr 11, and Apr 12 matter because they compress recovery time. In a season that starts on zero points, those are the days when one result can change the tone before the standings have any real shape.