The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method (DLS) is a mathematical formula used in cricket to calculate a fair target score for the team batting second in a limited-overs match that has been interrupted, usually by rain or bad light.
Why is it needed?
In a limited-overs match, each team has a fixed number of overs to bat and score runs. When rain interrupts a match, it can reduce the number of overs available to one or both teams. This creates an unfair advantage for one team over the other. For example, if the team batting first had a full innings, but the team batting second has their innings cut short, it wouldn’t be fair to simply compare the total runs scored.
How does it work?
The DLS method considers two key resources available to a batting team:
Overs: The number of balls remaining to be bowled.
Wickets: The number of wickets remaining for the batting team.
The DLS method starts by calculating the ‘resources remaining’ percentage for each team. This percentage represents the proportion of their total resources (overs and wickets) that are still available. When a match is interrupted, the resources remaining percentage is recalculated for both teams based on the remaining overs and wickets.
The DLS method then uses these resource percentages to adjust the target score for the team batting second. The aim is to set a target that is fair, considering the resources lost by both teams due to the interruption.
In simple terms
The team batting second’s revised target is calculated by:
Team 1’s score x (Team 2’s resources remaining / Team 1’s resources remaining)
Additional Notes
The DLS method is complex, and the calculations are usually done by computer software.
It is not always perfect, and there can be situations where the adjusted target might seem unfair to one team. However, it is considered the most fair and balanced method available to deal with rain-affected matches.
The DLS method has been updated and refined over the years, and the current version is known as the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, which was introduced in 2014.
I hope this explanation helps you understand the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in cricket!
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