Teams and officials have used the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method many times in cricket matches. While some of the viewers are fully aware of it, others may feel confused at such moments. Remember the 2023 IPL Final when rain had put a halt to the second innings? In that match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, the officials used the DLS method as a game-saver to devise a new score. We suggest our readers go through this article to learn more about the DLS method.
What is the DLS method in cricket?
Mathematicians designed the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, known as the DLS method, to calculate and devise a new target score—that is, the number of runs a team needs to win a particular match. Officials predominantly use it when bad weather or any other reason interrupts the match before the second team bats.
Two English statisticians, Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, framed the DLS method, and thus, people named it after them. Cricket authorities first used the Duckworth-Lewis method in 1997, and the International Cricket Council officially adopted it in 1999. Moreover, after the retirement of these statisticians, before the 2015 ICC World Cup, Australian academic Steven Stern made some changes and became its custodian. As a result, in November 2014, officials added his name to the method’s title, now known as the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

The history of the DLS method in IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India uses the DLS method to determine the sporting process in limited-over matches. It is not new that rain has always been a killjoy in crucial cricket matches. Not only this, but many people have condemned the method. In 2016, Stephen Fleming expressed his displeasure when his team, Rising Pune Supergiants, lost the match to Kolkata Knight Riders because of the use of the DLS method. A similar incident occurred when KKR defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad with the help of the DLS method.
Furthermore, many cricket viewers believe that the method favors the team that bats second. Experts originally formulated the method for an ODI and not a T20 match. Recently, officials also applied the DLS method in the IPL 2023 final match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, where GT amassed a huge score of 214 but lost because the method reduced the target score.
How do officials calculate the score using the DLS method?
The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method looks at the resources that each team has. These two factors—the remaining overs and remaining wickets—help officials revise the target. Throughout the game, a team’s ability to win a game depends on the availability of these two resources combined. The DLS method converts these resources into percentages. While 50 overs and 10 wickets = 100%, 40 overs and 10 wickets = 89.3%, and so on. A computer program creates a DLS method calculator chart to determine it. The DLS method formula is:
Team 2’s par score = Team 1’s score x (Team 2’s resources/Team 1’s resources).
Final Thoughts
Given these points, the DLS method is an amazing method to calculate the target score, but it has its flaws. Since the outcome of a cricket match is unpredictable till the last ball and wicket, determining the result before that seems biased and has rightfully received criticism. Until the time there is no other method for determination, all you can do is watch the game and pray that it does not rain when your favourite team’s on the ground.
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