Nitin Kumar created history by becoming the first Indian player to win a match at the PDC Darts World Championship with a sensational victory over Dutchman Richard Veenstra.
The 40-year-old had lost in all four of his previous first-round encounters at the Alexandra Palace, but his 3-2 win puts him in the last 64 of the competition.
Kumar’s scoring was inferior to that of Veenstra’s, but it was his finishing that proved crucial, boasting a 75% checkout success and hitting all his last seven doubles.
“I don’t know what to say right now. I’m overwhelmed, I’m happy,” said Kumar, who is nicknamed ‘The Royal Bengal’.
“If you dream it, anything is possible. I’ve dreamed of this ever since I saw Dennis Priestley win the World Championship (in 1994).”
Kumar could next play fourth seed Stephen Bunting, who faces Sebastian Bialecki in Sunday’s evening session.
Veenstra hit five 100-plus finishes, with his highest coming at 144. Kumar was not as flamboyant with his scoring, but proved to be incredibly consistent as the Alexandra Palace crowd roared him on.
Three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant said on Sky Sports: “It was one of the greatest games I have ever commentated on.
“It’s not just the quality of the match, it’s the impact for Nitin Kumar and what it does for Indian darts.”
Earlier world number 27 Ritchie Edhouse was knocked out by debutant Jonny Tata.
Former European champion Edhouse was stunned 3-0 by the New Zealander, to taste defeat at this stage for the fourth time in a row.
Another debutant, Englishman Dom Taylor, progressed to the second round with a 3-0 win over Sweden’s Oskar Lukasiak, with the Englishman hitting a brilliant 114 checkout.
