The DLS Method Explained: Rain Rules in Limited-Overs Cricket
A simple explanation of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method — why cricket needs it, how it adjusts targets for rain, and what "par score" means.
Rules · 5 min read · Updated July 21, 2026
Rain and cricket have never mixed well. When a limited-overs match is interrupted, teams cannot simply play on forever, so a fair way is needed to reset targets. That is where the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method comes in.
Why cricket needs a rain rule
Imagine a team scores 300 in 50 overs, and then rain cuts the chase to 25 overs. Asking the second team to score 300 in half the time would be unfair, while simply halving the target to 150 ignores the fact that a team batting fewer overs can take more risks. A smarter calculation is required.
The idea behind DLS
DLS is built on a simple insight: a team’s ability to score depends on two resources — the overs remaining and the wickets in hand. A team with all ten wickets and 40 overs left has far more scoring potential than one with two wickets and the same overs. DLS puts a value on these combined resources.
- Before any interruption, both teams start with 100% of their resources.
- As overs are bowled and wickets fall, that percentage steadily drops.
- When rain removes overs, the method recalculates the resources each team actually had available.
- The target is adjusted in proportion to the resources available to each side.
What is a "par score"?
During a rain-affected chase you will often hear about the "par score". This is the total the chasing team needs to be level on DLS at that exact moment. If the match were abandoned right then, a team ahead of par would be declared the winner, and a team behind par would lose.
Why the target can look strange
Sometimes a revised target seems higher than expected for fewer overs. That is usually because the team batting second still has most of its wickets, so DLS assumes it can score more freely in the reduced time. The method is designed to protect the balance of the contest, not just the raw number of overs.
DLS is not perfect, and it can produce debate, but it remains the fairest widely accepted way to settle interrupted limited-overs matches. Understanding the resource idea behind it makes those rain-delay scoreboards far less baffling.