4 Heartbreaking results of matches that were affected by DLS Rule in ODI World Cup

The World Cup is just a few days away. Teams have already arrived in India ahead of the marquee event. Pakistan and New Zealand are facing each other on Friday, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad for their first warm-up game. Kane Williamson who is ruled out of the first match will only come and bat in this match.

With South Africa facing Afghanistan has been abandoned due to rain. This factor has caused several problems in the game of cricket with many teams suffering with the results and matches getting washed out due to rain. South Africa is the team that has suffered the most in these kinds of situations.

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in cricket has been a subject of debate for years ever since its debut in 1997.  They are the subject of the biggest controversies. South Africa has a pretty good relation when it comes to the DLS method as they are the most who have suffered from this method in the World Cup.

Here are the biggest controversies of the match that were affected due to the DLS Rule in the ODI World Cup:

4. South Africa vs Sri Lanka,2003 World Cup 

South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2003 WC (Source- Twitter)

In the 2003 World Cup co-host South Africa was required to beat Sri Lanka in its final group game in Durban to go through to the second phase which was then the Super Sixes. With five overs of game left of South Africa's innings, Mark Boucher had said that the DLS target was 229, but they needed to score one more run to win.

The wicketkeeper did not take a single off the last ball. The match was tied as both the teams were in the same position according to the DLS rule and skipper Shaun Pollock and the South African team were shocked after the result as they were knocked out of the tournament in their home conditions.

3. England vs South Africa, 1992 World Cup 

South Africa vs England, 1992 WC (Source- Twitter)

This was South Africa's first-ever World Cup. The Proteas qualified for the semifinals and were well in the hunt to clinch its target of 253 in 45 overs and reach the final in their first appearance. At that point, a rain-break went against them and they lost the match.

Before the rain interrupted the Proteas required 22 runs off 13 balls. After the resumption needed 22 from just a single delivery, that turned out to be the worst decision for them  The moment brought a reanalysis of the contentious rain rule that was eventually replaced by the Duckworth-Lewis (now Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method.

2. South Africa V/S New Zealand, 2003 World Cup 

South Africa vs New Zealand, 2003 WC (Source- Twitter)

In this match, batting first South Africa scored a massive total of 306/6 in their 50 overs. The match was believed to be in control of the Africans after the first innings. But during the innings break was not supposed to happen again for the Proteas, rain started pouring down.

As a result, New Zealand was given a revised target of 226 in 39 overs. Comparing 307 (50) to 226 (39), it looks very unfair and easily chasable by any team. Then skipper Stephen Fleming played one of the greatest innings of his career, and the total looked very simple as they chased it in just 36.5 overs.

1. New Zealand V/S South Africa, 2015 World Cup Semi-Final 

New Zealand vs South Africa, 2015 WC (Source- Twitter)

The Proteas have a special bond with rain and the World Cup. In the 2015 semi-final against New Zealand, another rain interruption occurred. SA was batting first and was going well for 216/3 in 38 overs as the rain stopped the play. The match was eventually reduced to 43 overs per side and they finally managed to score 281/5.

The Kiwis were given a revised target of 298 in 43 overs (as per DLS calculation). The match finally reached to last over where the Black Caps required 12 runs and Dale Steyn was bowling it. It was the second last bowl of the over where Grant Elliot hit a six-over long-on to win the match for the Kiwis.