3 times DLS favored India in T20Is

Team India managed to secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Ireland by the infamous Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) method. The Men in Blue were two runs ahead when rain intervened and abandoned the contest at the Malahide Cricket Club on Friday.

The DLS method has seen its fair share of controversies since its implementation in world cricket. The calculations to determine a revised target or determine the result of the game without considering crucial parameters have been highlighted and criticized.

But as it often happens with such methods, one team tends to profit from it while the other team is left rueing over their approach in the game before the rain interruption.

During the first T20I against Ireland, it was India, who emerged lucky by scraping through by just two runs to take a series lead. Let us take a look at matches where India escaped with a lucky win due to DLS.

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#1 India vs Bangladesh (T20 World Cup 2022; Adelaide Oval)

The two subcontinent sides met in the Super 12-stage encounter in the 2022 T20 World Cup at the iconic Adelaide Oval. Rohit Sharma and Co. were put in to bat first by Bangladesh, and led by half-centuries by KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, posted 184-6 in the first innings.

The bowlers struggled with the dew in the second innings and Bangladesh were off to a flying start courtesy of Litton Das. The chasing side were comfortably placed at 66-0 after seven overs before rain interrupted. Following the delay, the target was revised to 151 runs from 16 overs.

Bangladesh lost the plot following the rain delay. With the Bangla Tigers losing wickets in clusters, they were eventually held to 145-6 at the end of the contest, five runs short of the target.

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#2 India vs New Zealand (3rd T20I; McLean Park, Napier)

Hardik Pandya and Co. competed in a three-match T20I series against New Zealand right after the 2022 T20 World Cup. They headed into the series finale with a 1-0 lead, with the first T20I being washed out.

The Kiwis posted 160 on the board after opting to bat first as Mohammed Siraj picked up four wickets in the first innings. The Men in Blue were tottering at 21-3 in the third over and the run chase was not looking good and the series was on the line as well.

Bolstered by a cameo from skipper Hardik Pandya, India got to 75-4 after nine overs, before rain made its appearance. The rain did not cease, leading to the DLS being enforced, which showed that the visitors were right on the par score required at that very stage of the innings. As a result, India claimed the series by a 1-0 margin.

To make matters worse for New Zealand, the final delivery bowled before the rain break could have been a dot ball, if not for a misfield by Mitchell Santner at point. Taking the misfield out of the equation, the Blackcaps would have been one run ahead, leading to the series being drawn level.

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#3 India vs Ireland (1st T20I; The Village, Dublin)

The returning Jasprit Bumrah, leading Team India for the first time in T20Is, had won the toss and elected to bowl first in overcast conditions.

The pacer got to work straightaway by claiming two wickets in his very first over in international cricket after almost 11 months. Ireland were in deep trouble at one stage having lost five wickets for just 31 runs. But a fighting fifty by No. 8 batter Barry McCarthy propelled the hosts to a respectable yet below-par total of 139-7.

In response, the left-hand-right-hand opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad started the run chase with caution. The visitors were comfortably placed at one stage before twin strikes by Craig Young reduced India to 46-2 in the seventh over. Only a couple of deliveries after the second wicket was bowled as players walked back due to rain.

No play was possible after that and the calculations at that point suggested that India were ahead by a narrow two-run margin.

What are some of the other matches where the DLS method resulted in a lucky and close win for the Men in Blue? Let us know what you think.