DLS Method Explained: How Rain Affects Cricket Targets

Rain and cricket have a complicated relationship. A match that was building to a dramatic finish is interrupted by a downpour, overs are lost, and suddenly both teams are trying to calculate a revised target that nobody fully understands. The score on the board changes, the players look to the dressing room for guidance, and the commentators reach for the phrase everyone dreads: "the DLS method."

This guide demystifies DLS completely. You will understand what it is, why it was developed, what a "resource" actually means, how targets are calculated, and why — in specific situations — the numbers produced by DLS can seem counter-intuitive or even unfair.

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What is the DLS Method?

DLS stands for Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. It is the mathematical method used in limited-overs cricket to calculate a revised target for the team batting second when overs are lost due to rain, bad light, or any other interruption that reduces the number of overs available.

The core problem DLS solves is this: if a match is interrupted and overs are lost, simply reducing the target proportionally is deeply unfair. A team batting second chasing 300 from 50 overs that has its innings cut to 40 overs is not simply chasing 240 (300 x 40/50). The batting team still has all 10 wickets in hand — they have lost overs but not the ability to accelerate. A proportional target would dramatically favour the chasing team.

DLS accounts for both overs remaining and wickets in hand simultaneously. The method calculates what fraction of their total "run-scoring resources" each team has available. The chasing team's target is then adjusted to reflect the proportion of resources they have compared to what the first-innings team had.

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Brief History: From D/L to DLS

The Duckworth-Lewis method was developed by statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis in the 1990s. They presented their method to the ICC in 1997, and it was first used in an international match — the 1997 Zimbabwe vs England ODI — later that year.

Before Duckworth-Lewis, various cruder methods were used. The most notorious was the "highest scoring overs" method, which produced famously perverse results. In the 1992 Cricket World Cup semi-final between England and South Africa, South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls when rain arrived. When play resumed, the revised target (under the highest scoring overs method) left South Africa needing 21 runs from 1 ball — a mathematical impossibility. That absurd outcome accelerated the push for a better system.

Duckworth-Lewis was officially adopted by the ICC in 1999 and became mandatory in all international matches. In 2015, Australian statistician Steven Stern took over maintenance of the method following Frank Duckworth's retirement, and the ICC renamed it the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Stern updated the underlying model and resource table to better reflect modern T20 scoring patterns, where the old D/L tables were calibrated primarily on ODI data.

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What is a "Resource" in DLS?

The concept of a "resource" is the foundation of DLS, and understanding it unlocks everything else.

DLS defines a team's run-scoring resources as the combination of two factors: the number of overs remaining in their innings, and the number of wickets remaining. Both matter. A team with 30 overs remaining and 10 wickets has far greater resources than a team with 30 overs remaining and 2 wickets — the second team must be conservative because they have so little wicket-in-hand margin for error.

DLS expresses the total available resources as a percentage. At the start of an innings — 50 overs to bat, 10 wickets in hand — a team has 100% of their resources available. As overs are bowled and wickets are lost, the percentage falls.

The resource percentage for any combination of overs remaining and wickets remaining is pre-calculated in the DLS resource table. Some examples to illustrate the principle:

• 50 overs remaining, 10 wickets in hand = 100% resources
• 25 overs remaining, 10 wickets in hand = approximately 68% resources
• 25 overs remaining, 5 wickets in hand = approximately 50% resources
• 10 overs remaining, 10 wickets in hand = approximately 34% resources
• 10 overs remaining, 2 wickets in hand = approximately 14% resources

These numbers are drawn from historical data on how many runs teams have scored from various combinations of overs and wickets in tens of thousands of ODI innings. The table has been updated over the years to reflect evolving scoring rates.

For the exact current resource percentages, you can use our DLS Calculator which uses the live DLS resource table.

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How DLS Calculates a Revised Target

Here is the core calculation, explained step by step without the mathematics becoming overwhelming.

Step 1: Calculate the total resources available to Team 1 (the first-batting team). This starts at 100% but may be reduced if Team 1's innings was also interrupted.

Step 2: Calculate the total resources available to Team 2 (the chasing team), accounting for any overs lost from their innings.

Step 3: Compare the two resource percentages.

If Team 2 has fewer resources than Team 1: Team 2's target is reduced proportionally. They are chasing a smaller number of runs because they have fewer overs and/or are at a wicket disadvantage.

If Team 2 has equal resources to Team 1: Team 2's target is the same as Team 1's score plus one run (to win).

If Team 2 has more resources than Team 1 (which happens when Team 1's innings was also interrupted): Team 2's target is increased. This is the situation that feels most "unfair" but is actually mathematically sound — Team 2 has the benefit of more resources than Team 1 had.

The Par Score concept: at any point in a rain-interrupted match, DLS can calculate a "par score" — the score the batting team would need to be at on par with the opposition, if the match were to be called off immediately due to rain. If rain stops play and the match is abandoned, the team ahead of par wins a rain-reduced match. This is why you will sometimes hear that a team won "on DLS method" when the match was called off without the second innings completing.

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DLS in Tests vs ODIs vs T20s

Test Cricket: DLS is not used in Test matches. Tests have no fixed over limit, so rain interruptions simply result in lost playing time. The match is played to its natural conclusion within the allotted days, and a Test match can end in a draw regardless of which team was ahead. Rain affects Tests, but DLS is not the tool to manage it.

ODI Cricket: DLS was developed primarily for ODIs and the resource table was initially calibrated on ODI data. DLS is applied in all rain-affected ODI matches, including ICC tournament games. The 50-over format gives DLS the most room to work — a long second innings interrupted by rain provides meaningful resource data to recalculate from.

T20 Cricket: DLS is used in T20 Internationals and in franchise tournaments including the IPL. However, DLS applied to T20 matches has historically been more contentious. The resource table was built on ODI data, and T20 scoring patterns — particularly the explosive scoring rates in the first six overs (powerplay) and the last four overs — can make DLS targets feel too lenient or too harsh in a 20-over game. Steven Stern's 2015 revision improved T20 calibration, but the academic consensus is that T20 DLS remains a less perfect fit than ODI DLS.

In T20s, the minimum number of overs required for a result to be declared varies by tournament. In most ICC tournaments, both teams must face at least 5 overs for DLS to apply and a result to stand.

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When Does DLS Apply?

DLS applies when overs are lost due to rain or other interruptions and the match must be completed with fewer overs than originally scheduled. There are several triggering scenarios:

Interruption before Team 2 bats: If rain reduces the available overs in the match before Team 2's innings starts, DLS calculates a revised target for Team 2 based on the revised number of overs they have to bat.

Interruption during Team 2's innings: If rain stops play while Team 2 is batting, DLS recalculates the target based on the resources Team 2 has available when they return versus how many resources they were originally allocated.

Interruption during Team 1's innings: This is where DLS becomes complex. If Team 1's innings is cut short by rain, DLS projects a "par score" for what Team 1 would have scored with their full resources. This projected score then becomes the basis for Team 2's target — sometimes set higher than what Team 1 actually scored.

Minimum overs: For a match to have a result under DLS, the second team must face a minimum number of overs. This minimum varies by competition, but it is typically 20 overs in a 50-over ODI and 5 overs in a T20.

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Why DLS Targets Sometimes Seem Unfair

The most frequent complaint about DLS — heard in commentary boxes, on social media, and from players themselves — is that revised targets are "too easy" or "too hard." Here is why those perceptions arise.

High powerplay scores: If Team 1 scored heavily in their powerplay (overs 1-10) and rain interrupts before they complete their innings, Team 1's resource percentage may be reduced — but their powerplay score, which was scored at a high rate, is already in the bank. DLS calculates Team 1's "par" using the resource table, which may project a lower total for overs 11-50 than Team 1 actually would have scored. In this case, Team 2 may face a DLS target slightly above Team 1's actual score — which feels harsh even though it is mathematically defensible.

Wickets in the bank: If Team 2 lost two wickets quickly before rain arrived, they have fewer resources than a team in the same position but with all wickets intact. DLS reduces their target to account for this, which can feel like a team is being rewarded for losing wickets — but the logic is sound. Fewer wickets means fewer resources, and the target must reflect what they can realistically chase.

The 2003 World Cup India-Sri Lanka match: This remains the most cited DLS controversy. Sri Lanka were set 299 to win, rain reduced the match, and the DLS calculation produced a target that India won narrowly. Critics argued the DLS target did not account for the actual match situation properly in the reduced-over chase. This accelerated the push for refinements to D/L that eventually led to the Stern revision.

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Famous DLS Controversies

1992 World Cup, England vs South Africa: The direct catalyst for D/L's development. The "highest scoring overs" method produced an absurd 21 from 1 ball target. D/L was the answer.

2003 World Cup, India vs Pakistan: India's 44-run win in a rain-affected match under DLS triggered questions about how powerplay-heavy scoring by one team affected the revised target for the other.

ICC World T20 2014 Final, Sri Lanka vs India: India were set 131 to win in 20 overs. Rain reduced Sri Lanka's innings, and a DLS calculation set India a revised target in a match of enormous significance. The handling of DLS in global finals always draws scrutiny.

IPL 2025, Multiple Rain-Affected Matches: In the IPL, DLS is applied frequently during the monsoon-adjacent scheduling in some venues. Targets revised by DLS in the death overs of close T20 games have swung several close matches, generating controversy about whether T20 DLS is fit for purpose in franchise cricket.

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Quick Reference Table

Scenario	DLS Applied?	Notes
Test cricket rain interruption	No	Tests use lost time, not DLS
ODI — rain before Team 2 bats	Yes	Target revised based on over reduction
ODI — rain during Team 2's innings	Yes	Target recalculated from resource point
ODI — rain during Team 1's innings	Yes	DLS projects par score; may set target above actual Team 1 score
T20 — rain reduces overs	Yes	Minimum 5 overs per side (ICC standard) required for result
Team 2 has fewer resources than Team 1	Yes	Target reduced
Team 2 has more resources than Team 1	Yes	Target increased
Match abandoned before minimum overs	No result	No DLS result declared
Par score concept	Yes	Relevant if match is abandoned mid-second innings

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who decides the DLS target on match day — the umpires or the match referee? The match referee and the official DLS calculator (software) determine the revised target. Umpires communicate the target to the teams and the scorers, but they do not calculate it themselves. The official DLS software is certified by the ICC and is run by match officials in the scoring room.

Can a team win by DLS even if they have scored fewer runs than the opposition? Yes. If a match is abandoned with Team 2 batting and Team 2's score is above the DLS par score at that point, Team 2 wins — even if their actual run total is less than Team 1's final score. This is the most counter-intuitive DLS outcome, but it reflects the resources Team 2 had available when the match ended.

Is DLS used in the IPL? Yes. DLS has been used in IPL for rain-affected matches. The same standard ICC DLS resource table and software is used in IPL as in international cricket.

What is the "G50" or "average score" used as a baseline in DLS? DLS uses a baseline score — called G50 — that represents the average score a team would be expected to make batting 50 overs with all 10 wickets in hand. This figure is periodically updated by Steven Stern based on evolving global scoring rates. As scoring rates have increased across formats, G50 has been revised upward to keep DLS targets calibrated to contemporary cricket.

Why is DLS sometimes not used for very short rain interruptions? If rain interrupts play for a short period but no overs are actually lost from either innings, DLS does not apply. DLS only calculates a revised target when the over allocation for one or both teams is reduced. A 20-minute rain delay that is followed by a full resumption of play with no overs lost changes nothing — the match continues as if the delay did not happen.

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Rain will always be part of cricket, particularly in the subcontinent, England, and New Zealand. DLS is the best available tool for producing fair results from disrupted matches, even when the outputs feel strange. Understanding the resource concept is the key insight — once you grasp that a team's ability to score depends on both overs and wickets remaining, the DLS logic becomes clear. To calculate revised targets for specific match scenarios, use our DLS Calculator. For more cricket rules explained, explore the full series.