Which rain-hit matches are the most famous?
Each page below tells the story of one match, shows the numbers at the moment the rain came, and recalculates the target with our DLS Calculator, step by step. Every page has a button that opens the same numbers in the calculator, so you can change an input and see what would have happened.
How close is our calculator to the official targets?
Our calculator uses the ICC's published DLS Standard Edition table. Here is its answer for every match next to the figure used on the day. "Same" means our target or par is exactly the official one.
| Match | Rule used | Official | Our calculator | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England vs South Africa, 1992 World Cup semi-final | Most productive overs | 252 in 43 overs (21 off 1 ball) | 235 in 43 overs | −17 runs |
| South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2003 World Cup | Duckworth-Lewis | Par 229 at 45 overs (match tied) | Par 229 at 45 overs | Same |
| New Zealand vs South Africa, 2015 World Cup semi-final | DLS | 298 in 43 overs | 307 in 43 overs | +9 runs |
| India vs New Zealand, 2019 World Cup semi-final | Not needed (reserve day) | 148 in 20 overs | 137 in 20 overs | −11 runs |
| India vs Bangladesh, 2022 T20 World Cup | DLS | 151 in 16 overs | 149 in 16 overs | −2 runs |
| England vs Ireland, 2022 T20 World Cup | DLS | Par 110 at 14.3 overs (Ireland won by 5 runs) | Par 110 at 14.3 overs | Same |
| Pakistan vs South Africa, 2022 T20 World Cup | DLS | 142 in 14 overs | 139 in 14 overs | −3 runs |
| Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2023 final | DLS | 171 in 15 overs | 171 in 15 overs | Same |
| Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, 2024 T20 World Cup | DLS | 114 in 19 overs | 113 in 19 overs | −1 run |
Of the eight matches where a DLS or D/L figure was worked out, our calculator gives the same number in three (2003, England vs Ireland and the IPL 2023 final) and is within 3 runs in three more. The two big gaps, 2015 and 2019, both have a high or nearly complete first innings that was cut short. The 1992 row is different: the rule used then was not DLS at all, and the gap shows how unfair it was.
Why do some targets differ from the official ones?
- Two editions of DLS. International matches and big franchise leagues use the Professional Edition, which runs on ICC software and is not published. Everyone else uses the Standard Edition, the published table our calculator follows exactly. The two agree in most low and medium-scoring chases.
- High first-innings scores. When Team 2 has more resources than Team 1, the Standard Edition adds runs at a fixed rate using G50, the average 50-over score of 245. The Professional Edition handles high scores differently. That is why our target for the 2015 semi-final is 307 instead of 298.
- Older matches used older rules. Before 1997 there was no D/L at all, and D/L itself has been updated several times since, becoming DLS in 2014. We recalculate every match with today's table, so for older matches the comparison shows how today's method would have treated the same situation.
- Unofficial figures. Some targets were never used, like India's targets in the 2019 semi-final, which were worked out by a statistician in case more rain came.
The DLS method guide explains the Standard and Professional Editions in more detail. Our engine is also checked against the six worked examples in the ICC playing conditions, and matches all of them.
What do these matches teach?
- Par ties, the target wins. South Africa went out of the 2003 World Cup because they reached the par score, not the target. Always know which number you are looking at.
- Wickets are resources too. Losing wickets just before rain, like South Africa against Pakistan in 2022, makes the revised target much harder. Keeping wickets, like Bangladesh against India the same week, means the target falls by less than the overs.
- A target can be higher than Team 1's score. When Team 1 loses overs mid-innings, as South Africa did in the 2015 semi-final, Team 2 can be set more runs than Team 1 made.
- Being ahead on par only matters if play never resumes. Bangladesh were 17 ahead against India in 2022 and still lost the shortened chase.
If you score or captain in a match where rain is likely, keep the live DLS par tracker open during the chase: it shows after every over who is ahead if play stops.
Famous DLS matches FAQ
What is the most controversial rain rule match?
The 1992 World Cup semi-final between England and South Africa in Sydney. The old "most productive overs" rule turned South Africa's 22 needed off 13 balls into 21 off 1 ball after a 12-minute shower. That match is the reason the Duckworth-Lewis method was invented.
Why does your target sometimes differ from the official one?
International matches and big leagues use the DLS Professional Edition, which runs on ICC software that is not published. Our calculator uses the published Standard Edition table, the ICC's official fallback. The two agree closely in most chases and drift apart when Team 1 makes a big score or the first innings is cut short.
Was DLS used in the 2019 World Cup semi-final?
No. Rain stopped New Zealand on 211 for 5 after 46.1 overs, but the match finished on the reserve day with no overs lost, so India chased the full 240. DLS targets were only worked out in case more rain came.
Has a team ever lost because it misread the DLS par score?
Yes. At the 2003 World Cup South Africa thought 229 after 45 overs would win against Sri Lanka, but 229 was the par score, which only tied the match. The tie knocked the hosts out of their own World Cup.
Where can I learn how the targets are worked out?
Our DLS method guide explains resources, the formula, the resource table and the ICC worked examples step by step.
Sources
Each match page lists the scorecards and reports its facts were checked against. The method and table come from: