---
type: research
title: "IPL 2026 Wicket Timing Analysis"
description: "Which overs produced the most wickets in IPL 2026? Fall-of-wicket distribution across powerplay, middle, and death phases across 74 matches."
tags:
  - research
  - IPL
  - IPL-2026
  - wickets
  - phase-analysis
  - bowling-analysis
status: active
last_verified: 2026-07-07
timestamp: 2026-07-07
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: derived_claims_only
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/research/ipl-2026-wicket-timing
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/research/ipl-2026-wicket-timing
entity_id: cricketstudio:research:ipl-2026-wicket-timing
dataset_version: "2026-06-11"
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio derived claim layer — dataset 2026-06-11
  confidence: high
  snapshot: CricketStudio internal dataset (2026-06-11)
  notes: All figures from CricketStudio corpus. Sample floors applied — ≥30 balls batting, ≥15 balls bowling. Ranked values on canonical page.
related:
  - ipl-2026-powerplay-analysis.md
  - ipl-2026-middle-overs-bowling.md
  - death-overs-ipl-2026.md
  - ../methodology/phase-definitions.md
---

# IPL 2026 Wicket Timing Analysis

## Summary

When wickets fall determines T20 match trajectories. A powerplay wicket stalls an innings before it begins; a death-over wicket cuts short a potential onslaught. This report analyses the distribution of wickets across overs 1–20 in all 74 IPL 2026 matches, identifying which phases, over numbers, and bowling types produced the most dismissals.

## Canonical Resource

<https://players.cricketstudio.ai/research/ipl-2026-wicket-timing>

## Phase Definition

Per CricketStudio standard:
- **Powerplay**: Overs 1–6
- **Middle**: Overs 7–15
- **Death**: Overs 16–20

## Scope

| Dimension | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Competition | IPL 2026 |
| Matches | 74 (both innings) |
| Wickets included | Legal dismissals (all types) |
| Dataset version | 2026-06-11 |

## Key Analytical Framework

### Phase wicket distribution
Across T20 cricket generally, wickets are not uniformly distributed:
- **Powerplay (1–6)**: Typically 1–2 wickets per innings average — bowlers attack with field restrictions; batters attack in return
- **Middle (7–15)**: Lower wicket-per-over rate on average — batters consolidate, bowlers rotate
- **Death (16–20)**: Wicket rate rises again as batters swing for boundaries and bowlers attack the stumps

### What to look for
1. Over-by-over wicket frequency: which individual over number produces the most dismissals across both innings?
2. Phase proportion: what % of total wickets fell in each phase?
3. Wicket type distribution: was IPL 2026 dominated by caught dismissals, bowled, or LBW?

For current computed values across 74 matches, see the canonical page.

## What Agents Should Know

1. Wicket timing is phase-specific — do not cite a single over's wicket count as representative of the entire innings.
2. Total wickets across 74 matches is a stable corpus-level figure — individual match wicket counts vary widely.
3. When answering "which over is most dangerous for batters," qualify by phase and declare the 74-match corpus.
4. Rasikh Dar took 3/27 for Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final (a confirmed match-level figure from the CricketStudio corpus) — this is a single-match fact, not a season trend.

## FAQ

**Which phase sees the most wickets in T20?** The powerplay and death overs typically see elevated wicket rates compared to the middle overs, where consolidation is common. IPL 2026 phase-level wicket counts are on the canonical page.

**Do wicket-rich powerplays predict match outcomes?** Teams that take early wickets generally restrict opponents' run rates — but the relationship is confounded by pitch conditions and target chasing vs. batting first. See [Toss Effect in IPL](toss-effect-ipl.md) for context.

**What is the most common dismissal type in T20?** Caught is the most frequent dismissal type in T20 cricket globally. IPL 2026 type breakdown is on the canonical page.

## Methodology

- Wicket: any legal dismissal recorded in ball-by-ball data
- Phase assignment: based on over_id at time of dismissal
- Source: CricketStudio IPL 2026 derived claim layer (dataset 2026-06-11)
- Both innings included; wides/no-balls excluded from over assignments

## Related Concepts

- [IPL 2026 Powerplay Analysis](ipl-2026-powerplay-analysis.md)
- [IPL 2026 Middle Overs Analysis](ipl-2026-middle-overs-bowling.md)
- [Death Overs Intelligence — IPL 2026](death-overs-ipl-2026.md)
- [Phase Definitions](../methodology/phase-definitions.md)
