A major DLS loophole was exposed during Scotland’s World Cup League 2 game against Oman on Tuesday, which robbed them of a victory when they needed just 25 runs more for a win in 37.4 overs.
Oman were bowled out for 123 during a game in the World Cup League 2, which will determine the teams that play in the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifiers. Scotland, led by an 83-run opening stand, were 99-2 in 12.2 overs and were well-placed to overhaul the total when rain came down. The weather did not relent and the match was washed out, much to Scotland’s frustration.
#ICYMI: Scotland were left frustrated as their World Cup League 2 clash against Oman was washed out due to rain when they needed just 25 more runs for victory with 37.4 overs left in Dundee on Tuesday.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 17, 2024
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What is the DLS loophole that was exposed?
A minimum of 20 overs per team is needed to be bowled in an ODI for it to constitute a valid game unless the chasing side guns down the target earlier. A DLS par score only comes into effect after 20 overs have been bowled.
While the exact DLS par score at the 12.2 over-mark for the loss of two wickets is not known, it is safe to assume that Scotland would have been ahead of whatever it must have been.
What made the result even more bizarre was that if the rain had relented and there was enough time for eight more overs to be played (to constitute a valid match), Scotland would almost certainly have been declared winners without facing another ball as they would have already been ahead of whatever the revised DLS target for 20 overs would have been.
Have similar incidents happened before?
There have been several such incidents in the past, where chasing teams have had to be content with no result despite being on top of the game.
Most recently, a similar incident occurred during the South Africa-Zimbabwe game in the 2022 T20 World Cup, when the Proteas, chasing 64 off seven overs, were 51-0 after three when rain stopped play. The revised five-over target would have been 46 for South Africa, which they were already ahead of. But since the game never resumed, the match was abandoned as the minimum criteria of five overs per side had not been fulfilled.
Australia were eliminated from the 2017 Champions Trophy on the basis of the same loophole. They were chasing 183 against Bangladesh and were 83-1 in 16 overs when rain stopped play. The revised DLS target for a 22-over game would have been 79. For 21- and 20-over games, it would have been lesser. Australia had already breached that mark. But conditions didn't improve enough for play to resume, meaning points were shared and Bangladesh qualified for the semi-finals.
Following the Australia-Bangladesh game, Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, the inventors of the Duckworth-Lewis method, explained how this issue could be overcome if the ICC were more dynamic in the application of their own laws. However, no change has happened since in the protocols.
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