what is the dls method in cricket

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method is a mathematical formulation designed to calculate the target score for the team batting second in a limited overs cricket match interrupted by weather or other circumstances. The DLS method is an attempt to set a statistically fair target for the second teams innings, which is the same difficulty as the original target. The DLS method is a brainchild of Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, who were trying to give a better alternative for cricket matches affected by rain. The method was first used in a match between Zimbabwe and England on January 1, 1997, and later officially adopted by ICC's calculation method for rain-affected games in 1999. The DLS method decides the target or outcomes by calculating the runs scored by both teams if the resources available to both sides were equal. In international cricket, the resource values (which are not publicly available) are obtained from a computer program. The DLS method considers the fact that the team batting first would have batted differently if they had known the game was going to be affected by rain. The DLS method is generally accepted to be the most accurate method of setting a target score.