How are targets set when rain cuts an ODI or T20?
I · Intermediate · How does a match work, and how is it won? · 14 of 19When rain shortens a limited-overs match, the overs are cut and a new target for the side batting second is set by the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method (DLS), which allows for the wickets and overs each side had. If play cannot restart after the minimum overs, the result goes by the DLS "par score".
How it works
- Overs lost are removed at a set rate: 14.28 overs an hour in ODIs, 14.11 in T20 internationals. Both sides should get the same number of overs where possible.
- A result needs both sides to have had the chance to bat at least 20 overs in an ODI, 5 in a T20 international, unless a side is all out or the chase is won sooner. Otherwise it is a no result.
- The revised target is always a whole number; one run less is a tie.
- If the chase is stopped for good after the minimum overs, the chasing side wins if it is ahead of the par score at that moment, loses if behind and ties if level.
- Powerplay overs and each bowler's limit shrink with the innings.
Tricky cases
Why is the DLS target more than the first side's score?
Because the side batting second has fewer overs but all ten wickets: the method gives the first side credit for the overs they had and the risks they took.
What is the par score?
The score the chasing side should have at that point, by DLS, to be level. Ahead of par wins if play cannot resume.
How many overs are needed for a result in a T20 international?
Five a side.
Is DLS used in Tests?
No. Lost time in a Test is made up where possible, and the match is drawn if it runs out.
Why the rule exists
A simple run-rate comparison would ignore wickets in hand. DLS tries to set a target that is fair to both sides at the point the match was cut.
Where it differs
| Where | Minimum for a result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ICC men's ODIs | 20 overs a side | PC-O 13.7.2, 16.1.2 |
| ICC men's T20 internationals | 5 overs a side | PC-I 13.7.2, 16.1.2 |
| The Laws | As agreed before the match | L13.1.2 |
How DLS calculates the target is in the ICC's DLS documentation, which is not among our sources; this page covers how it is applied.
From the rule book
ICC men's ODI and T20I playing conditions, clauses 13.7, 16.1 and 16.4 and Appendix E, October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: ICC playing conditions (PDF).