Move over cricket legends, a new Indian sporting hero is making waves, but this time on the oche at London's iconic Alexandra Palace. Nitin Kumar has etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Indian player ever to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship.
A Historic Triumph at the Palace
The 40-year-old, nicknamed 'The Royal Bengal', secured his landmark victory on the opening weekend of the tournament. In a gripping five-set thriller, Kumar held his nerve to defeat Dutchman Richard Veenstra 3-2, despite his opponent landing five ton-plus checkouts. Kumar's brilliant finishing was key, as he hit nine of his 12 attempts at double to seal a famous win.
This breakthrough moment came after several previous appearances on the Ally Pally stage. Having qualified in 2019, 2020, and 2022, Kumar had failed to win a set until 2024, when he finally took one in a 3-1 defeat to Martin Lukeman. His persistence paid off spectacularly against Veenstra, fulfilling a dream three decades in the making.
The Dream Match-Up Against Stephen Bunting
Kumar's reward for his historic win is a blockbuster second-round clash against the world number four, Stephen Bunting, on Saturday evening. The match promises a clash of styles and cultures, with Kumar's walk-on song, Mundian To Bach Ke by Panjabi MC, set to rouse the crowd before Bunting's famously energetic entrance.
Bunting, a genuine title contender, survived a major scare in his own first-round match, squandering a two-set lead against Sebastian Bialecki before eventually winning 3-2 in a deciding-set tiebreak. The pair have met once before, at the Bahrain Darts Masters in January 2024, where Bunting won 6-2 in legs.
Despite being a 10/1 underdog for the tie, Kumar is relishing the challenge. "I am going to take it a game at a time," he said after his first-round win. "I know I can play better... There will be 110 per cent effort from myself and I am going to give it my all."
Inspiring a Billion: Kumar's Darts Journey
Born in Chennai on 14 November 1985 and hailing from Coimbatore, Kumar began playing darts at the age of ten. While it remained largely a hobby, he represented India at the 2011 WDF World Cup and the PDC World Cup of Darts in 2014 and 2015. He is currently based in Dubai, where he credits the Luke Littler-inspired darts boom with increasing local interest and improving his own standard through frequent match practice.
His ultimate ambition extends beyond personal glory. Kumar hopes his success will ignite the sport in cricket-mad India. "Hopefully this will open the floodgates to a billion players from India," he exclaimed. "In 10 years' time, if you have eight people in the World Championship walking on to Bollywood music or Punjabi, don't blame me. It's happening!"
Bunting, who describes Kumar as a "fantastic player" and says he "loves him to bits", acknowledges the significance of his opponent's achievement. "What he's done for Indian darts is exceptional," Bunting stated, while also playfully predicting the Ally Pally crowd will be going "Bunting Mental" for their encounter.
As the sporting world watches, Nitin Kumar's story is no longer just about a darting hobbyist from India. It is about breaking barriers, creating history, and potentially inspiring a new generation to pick up their darts and dream of Ally Pally.
