London, Dec 14 (UNI) 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 here today
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 percent checkout success and hitting all his last seven doubles, reports BBC.
“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).”
Asked about what his victory could do for darts in India, he said: “I’ve opened the floodgates to a billion of them.
Kumar could next play fourth seed Stephen Bunting, who faces Sebastian Bialecki in Sunday’s evening session.
Nitin Kumar seals 1st Indian win at World Championship
