What is a live DLS par score?
It is the score the chasing side needs right now to be level with Team 1 if rain ends the match at this ball. Above par, Team 2 is ahead and would win on DLS. Below par, Team 1 is ahead. Exactly on par, the match would be tied. The par changes after every ball and every wicket, which is why captains ask for it the moment dark clouds appear.
Broadcasters show it on screen in international matches. In club and league cricket nobody does, so this page gives scorers the same number from the published ICC table.
How do you track the DLS par during a match?
- Before the chase starts, enter the overs per side, Team 1's final score and, if overs were lost at the break, Team 2's reduced overs. The target appears straight away.
- After each over, press "Add next over". The next over number and the last score are filled in, so you only change the runs and the wickets.
- Read the "Who is ahead" column. Green means Team 2 is ahead of par, red means Team 1 is ahead.
- If rain arrives in the middle of an over, change the overs to the exact ball, like 12.3, and the par is worked out for that point.
The tracker keeps the match on your phone, so a reload or a dropped signal loses nothing. Share the link with the other dressing room or the umpires and they see the same numbers.
How does the par move in a T20 chase?
Take a 20-over match where Team 1 makes 160, so Team 2 needs 161. This is the example already loaded above.
| Overs | Score | DLS par | Who is ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 15/0 | 12 | Team 2 by 3 |
| 3 | 21/1 | 22 | Team 1 by 1 |
| 5 | 41/1 | 35 | Team 2 by 6 |
| 6 | 49/2 | 45 | Team 2 by 4 |
Look at the third over. Team 2 scored 6 runs, but the par rose by 10, from 12 to 22: 6 for the over and 4 more for the first wicket, so Team 1 went ahead. Two good overs later Team 2 was 6 runs clear. That swing is exactly what a captain needs to know before deciding whether to attack or protect wickets with rain coming.
Under ICC rules a T20 needs 5 overs in the chase for a result, so until then the tracker warns that a stoppage would mean no result.
How does the par move in an ODI chase?
In a 50-over match where Team 1 makes 250, the target is 251. Team 2 on 95 for 2 after 20 overs is 14 runs ahead of a par of 81. Five overs later on 118 for 4, it is 7 runs behind a par of 125: two wickets cost it more than 20 runs of par. By 30 overs, on 140 for 4, it is back in front of a par of 138.
ODI pars move further from the required run rate than T20 pars, because a side with wickets in hand has so many overs left to use them. A team can be behind the required rate and still well ahead on DLS. An ODI chase needs 20 overs for a result.
Why does a wicket change the par so much?
DLS treats overs and wickets together as resources. Losing a wicket leaves fewer resources for the rest of the chase, so the method judges that Team 2 has already used more of them and should have more runs on the board. In a T20 chase of 161, the first wicket adds about 3 or 4 runs to the par in the early overs, while the seventh or eighth adds 20 or more.
The full table behind these numbers, and why each wicket matters, is explained in the DLS method guide. For a printable sheet of every over and wicket before the match, use the DLS par score table.
What if rain has already interrupted the match?
If overs were lost before Team 2 started, enter its reduced overs in the match section. In the same 20-over match, a chase cut to 15 overs has a target of 128, and the par after 5 overs at 1 down is 38 instead of 35.
If rain stops the chase and play then resumes with fewer overs, the target itself changes. Work out the new target in the DLS calculator, which also gives the par table for the overs left. The tracker here covers a chase with no interruption once it has started, which is when most of the "are we ahead?" questions come.
Live DLS par score FAQ
What does the live DLS par score mean?
It is the score the chasing team needs at that moment to be level under DLS if play never resumes. Above par, Team 2 would win; below par, Team 1 would win; exactly on par, the match is tied.
How often should I update the score?
After every over is enough for most matches. When dark clouds arrive, add a row in the middle of the over too, like 12.3, so the par matches the exact ball when the umpires take the players off.
Why does the par jump when a wicket falls?
Wickets are resources too. A team that loses a wicket has less batting left, so DLS judges that it has used more of its resources and must already have more runs to stay ahead.
What if rain has already cut the overs?
If overs were lost before the chase began, enter the reduced overs for Team 2 and the target and every par are worked out for the shorter chase. If rain has interrupted the chase itself, the target changes, so use the DLS calculator for that stoppage.
Is there a minimum number of overs for a result?
Yes. Team 2 must have faced at least 20 overs in a 50-over match, or 5 overs in a 20-over match, for DLS to decide the result. Before that point the tracker warns that a stoppage would mean no result.
Will I lose the score if I close the page?
No. The tracker keeps the match on this device, so a reload or a closed tab picks up where you left off. Use "Start a new match" to clear it, or share the link so another scorer can follow the same match.
Is this the same par that appears on TV?
International matches use the DLS Professional Edition, which runs on ICC software and is not published. This tracker uses the published Standard Edition, so the par is usually the same and sometimes differs by a run or two.