DLS Method (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern)
Also known as: duckworth lewis, duckworth lewis stern, dls method, DLS target, rain rule in cricket, dls par score
The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method sets a fair revised target when rain shortens a limited-overs match. It treats each side's batting as two resources: overs left and wickets in hand. If the team batting second has fewer resources, its target drops in proportion. If it has more, the target rises.
Simply cutting the target by run rate is unfair. A team with ten wickets in hand can score faster than one with two left. DLS fixes this by using a table of resource percentages. Each value depends on how many overs remain and how many wickets are down.
The ECB's DLS methodology describes the method. It compares the resources Team 1 had with the resources Team 2 will have. If Team 2 has fewer, its target is scaled down by the ratio of the two. If Team 1 was interrupted and Team 2 ends up with more, the target goes up. Pro matches use the latest DLS software distributed by the ICC, not hand tables.
ICC playing conditions decide when DLS applies. A revised target is always a whole number, and one run less is a tie. If a chase cannot be finished, the side batting second is compared with the DLS par score at that moment. For a result, ODIs need at least 20 overs for the side batting second. T20 internationals need at least five.
Tips by skill level
Ask for the DLS par score during a chase when rain is near. Being ahead of par wins the game if play stops.
In a rain-threatened chase, wickets in hand raise your par score. Balance scoring with keeping wickets.
Example
Rain cuts the second innings of an ODI from 50 overs to 40. The chasing side still has all ten wickets. DLS lowers their target, but not by a full fifth, because they keep their wickets.
Why it matters
Rain is common in cricket. Understanding DLS helps batters pace a chase and captains plan when the weather looks bad.
Common mistakes
- Thinking DLS only uses overs, not wickets
- Assuming the target always goes down
- Ignoring the par score when rain is coming
Frequently asked questions
How does Duckworth Lewis work?
It compares the resources each side has, measured as overs left and wickets in hand. The chasing side's target is scaled up or down by the ratio of those resources.
What is the DLS par score?
It is the score the chasing side needs at a given point to be level. If play cannot restart, the side batting second wins if it is above par and loses if it is below. Exactly par is a tie.
How many overs are needed for a result with DLS?
Under ICC playing conditions, at least 20 overs for the side batting second in an ODI and five in a T20 international.
Sources
- ECB, Duckworth/Lewis/Stern Methodology of Re-calculating the Target Score in an Interrupted Match (2026), Introduction, clauses 1.1-1.9, p. 1
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 16.4 (Calculation of the Target Score: revised targets, par score, minimum 20 overs), p. 24; clause 1.14 of the definitions (DLS), p. 72
- ICC Men's T20I Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 16.4.1.1 (minimum of five overs), p. 25
Related terms
- Run Chase and Required Run RateIn a run chase, the required run rate is the runs you still need divided by the overs left. To pace a chase, break it into small targets, keep wickets in hand and avoid long runs of dot balls. Plan to attack harder when you have batters to come and fewer overs left.
- One-Day International (ODI)A one-day international is an international match where each team bats once, for up to 50 overs. Each bowler can bowl no more than 10 overs. The fielding side is limited to two fielders outside the 30-yard circle in overs 1 to 10, four in overs 11 to 40 and five in overs 41 to 50. A tie is settled by a Super Over.
- T20 FormatT20 (Twenty20) cricket is the shortest mainstream format of the game — each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs — producing fast-paced, high-scoring matches usually completed in under three hours.
- Match Results (Win, Tie, Draw)A cricket match ends in a win, a tie or a draw. A side wins by scoring more runs than the other side does in its completed innings. A tie means every innings is complete and the scores are level. A draw means the match ends without either of those, usually because time runs out in a multi-day game before the side batting last is bowled out or reaches its target.
- Super OverThe super over is a tie-breaking mechanism in limited-overs cricket — if scores are tied at the end of a match, each team bats one final over of six balls to determine the winner.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.