overs.balls where balls ∈ 0–5 (e.g., 32.3 means 32 overs + 3 balls).This page explains the Duckworth And Lewis Calculator in a clear, friendly way so anyone can understand how targets are set after interruptions. The content walks through the concept step by step with plain language and practical examples.
We focus on the Standard Edition method used by most public calculators. The goal is to give you a tool and the knowledge to interpret results with confidence.
If you are a coach, scorer or fan you will find the explanations practical and immediately useful for real match situations and planning.
At heart the system measures the batting resource available to each team and then adjusts the chasing target to reflect lost or gained opportunity. Resource is a combined function of overs left and wickets in hand.
The calculator uses an authoritative resource table: for every combination of overs and wickets there is a percentage value that represents how much of a full innings that state is worth.
Once the two resource values are known for Team 1 and Team 2, the D/L formulas compute par and the final target so the chase is fair given the interruption.
The calculations use two simple outcomes depending on relative resources. This choice avoids ambiguity and keeps the result easy to verify by hand if needed.
If R2 ≤ R1: par = S × R2 / R1 target = floor(par) + 1 If R2 > R1: target = ceil(S + G50 × (R2 − R1) / 100)
In these formulas:
The full D/L table covers overs from 50 down to 0 and wickets 0–9. The table below is a small, representative sample that shows how the percentage changes with overs and wickets. These values are critical to accurate computation.
| Overs left | Wkts 0 | Wkts 1 | Wkts 2 | Wkts 3 | Wkts 4 | Wkts 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 100.0% | 93.4% | 85.1% | 74.9% | 62.7% | 49.0% |
| 40 | 89.3% | 84.2% | 77.8% | 69.6% | 59.5% | 47.6% |
| 30 | 75.1% | 71.8% | 67.3% | 61.6% | 54.1% | 44.7% |
| 20 | 56.6% | 54.8% | 52.4% | 49.1% | 44.6% | 38.6% |
| 10 | 32.1% | 31.6% | 30.8% | 29.8% | 28.3% | 26.1% |
| 5 | 17.2% | 17.0% | 16.8% | 16.5% | 16.1% | 15.4% |
| 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Use the table values exactly to get the resource percentage for the given overs-left and wickets-lost cell. Fractional overs are handled by linear interpolation between the two nearest rows.
The following five examples illustrate common match situations and how the calculator produces targets or par values you can trust.
Example 1 — Full match, no interruption:
Team 1: 250 in 50 overs, 3 wickets lost. Team 2: 50 overs available, 10 wickets in hand. R1 and R2 are both high, and the calculation will return a target similar to 251.
Example 2 — Team 1 completed 45 overs due to rain before completion, match reduced to 45:
Enter Team 1 overs faced as 45.0 and wickets at end. Team 2 overs allowed become 45. The calculator computes resource remaining and adjusts the target accordingly.
Example 3 — Team 2 reduced start overs:
If Team 2 starts on a lowered allocation (e.g., 30 overs), enter 30 in overs allowed. The tool computes R2 from the table and then applies the formula to obtain par and target.
Example 4 — Short chase with few wickets:
Low overs and fewer wickets left change the resource steeply. The calculator computes the correct par and usually gives a small but fair target adjusted for the lost resource.
Example 5 — G50 effect:
If Team 2 has more resource than Team 1, the G50 adjustment applies. For a higher G50 the target increases more; for a smaller G50 it increases less. Use a realistic G50 like 245.
32.3 for 32 overs and 3 balls.These small habits help avoid one-run surprises and keep scorekeeping consistent under pressure.
Below is a quick scenarios table showing typical inputs and what to expect in broad terms. Use it as a quick mental checklist before you enter numbers into the calculator.
| Scenario | Team 1 | Overs | Wkts | Team 2 Overs | Key effect | Result type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full match | 250 | 50 | 3 | 50 | Normal | Standard target |
| Shortened start | 220 | 50 | 2 | 30 | Lower R2 | Reduced par |
| Team1 shortened | 180 | 35 | 4 | 35 | R1 reduced | Higher target |
| Few overs left | 90 | 10 | 1 | 10 | Small chase | Small target |
| Wickets loss | 210 | 50 | 8 | 50 | Lower R1 | Higher target |
| G50 tweak | 245 | 50 | 3 | 52 | G50 increases | Target up |
| Ball-level input | 200 | 47.3 | 5 | 47.3 | Precise R1 | Exact par |
The table above serves as a compact guide; each row highlights how one variable change typically affects the final target or par.
A short lookup table that you can memorize for quick checks. Each row is a useful approximation for rapid decision-making on the boundary.
| Overs left | Approx % (Wkts 0) | Approx % (Wkts 3) | Approx % (Wkts 5) | Note | Use | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 100% | 74.9% | 49.0% | Start of innings | Full | High |
| 40 | 89.3% | 69.6% | 47.6% | 10 overs gone | Common | High |
| 30 | 75.1% | 61.6% | 44.7% | 20 overs gone | Common | High |
| 20 | 56.6% | 49.1% | 38.6% | End middle overs | Quick check | Medium |
| 10 | 32.1% | 29.8% | 26.1% | Late chase | Fast | Medium |
| 5 | 17.2% | 16.5% | 15.4% | Very late | Fast | Medium |
| 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | Innings over | N/A | High |
Below are six frequently asked questions that cover technical details and practical concerns.
This content presents a clear, practical guide for implementing and using a Duckworth And Lewis calculator. It explains the key pieces you need and how to operate the tool in real matches.
Remember the calculator works best when you use exact table values and enter overs with ball-level precision. That precision avoids one-run surprises and keeps your scoring defensible.
Finally, a short checklist: enter accurate overs, update G50 only with reason, verify tight match outcomes, and for official matches always cross-check with governing-body software.
For quick searches and SEO relevance, three important concepts to remember areDuckworth–Lewis, DLS calculator, and target calculation.