{{short description|Indian darts player (born 1985)}} {{BLP one source|date=November 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox darts player | image = | name = Nitin Kumar | fullname = Nitin Sharda Kumar | nickname = "The Royal Bengal" | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|14|df=yes}}<ref name="MC">{{cite web |url=https://www.mastercaller.com/players/nitin-kumar |title=Nitin Kumar |website=Mastercaller |accessdate=2018-11-05}}</ref> | birth_place = Chennai, India<ref name="PDPA">{{cite web |title=Nitin Kumar PDPA Profile |url=https://pdpa.co.uk/player/nitin-kumar/ |website=Professional Darts Players Association |access-date=14 December 2025}}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | hometown = Coimbatore, India<br />Dubai, United Arab Emirates | since = 1995 | darts = 23g Winmau Signature | laterality = Right-handed | music = "Mundian To Bach Ke" by Panjabi MC | BDO = 2006, 2011–2020 | PDC = 2015, 2018– | currentrank = | BDO World = | World Masters = | World Darts Trophy = | PDC World = Last 64: 2026 | Matchplay = | Grand Prix = | UK Open = | European = | Premier League = | results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''PDC Asian Tour''' | 2023 | '''Mongolian Open''' | 2024 }} }} '''Nitin Sharda Kumar''' (born 14 November 1985) is an Indian professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He became the first Indian player to win a match at a darts world championship at the 2026 PDC edition, beating Richard Veenstra on 14 December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-14 |title=World Darts Championship 2026: Stephen Bunting sets up match with India's Nitin Kumar |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/cvg8dk0vdeeo |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cullen cruises through as Kumar makes history on day four at PDC World Championship {{!}} Flashscore.com |url=https://www.flashscore.com/news/darts-pdc-world-championship-cullen-cruises-through-as-kumar-makes-history-on-day-four-at-pdc-world-championship/rwwiDp3n/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=www.flashscore.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Darts career== In 2011, he represented Team India at the 2011 WDF World Cup along with Amit Gilitwala, Sarthak Patel, Chandrika Singh and Phalgun Tiruvasu.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=20 December 2025 |title=Who is Nitin Kumar? The Indian darts sensation making history at Ally Pally |url=https://www.aol.co.uk/news/nitin-kumar-indian-darts-sensation-141922544.html |access-date=23 December 2025 |website=aol}}</ref>
In 2014, he represented India at the 2014 PDC World Cup of Darts along with Amit Gilitwala, where they lost 5–0 in the first round to the Belgian pair of Kim Huybrechts and Ronny Huybrechts.<ref name=":0" />
In 2015, he represented India at the 2015 PDC World Cup of Darts along with Ashfaque Sayed, where they lost 5–0 in the first round to the German pair of Jyhan Artut and Max Hopp.<ref name=":0" />
In 2018, he won the Indian Qualifier for the 2019 PDC World Darts Championship, beating Ankit Goenka 5–0 in the final. In his First Round match with Jeffrey de Zwaan he could win three legs before losing 3-0.
In 2019, he won the Indian Qualifier for the 2020 PDC World Darts Championship, beating Ravi Bhat 6–1<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2019/09/26/kumar-pratnemer-secure-world-championship-places|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020203000/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2019/09/26/kumar-pratnemer-secure-world-championship-places|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2019|title = Kumar & Pratnemer secure World Championship places}}</ref> in the final.
In 2021, he won the Indian Qualifier for the 2022 PDC World Darts Championship, beating Vikehelie Suohu 6–0<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/11/09/shibata-kumar-schmutzler-join-list-international-qualifiers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109165804/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/11/09/shibata-kumar-schmutzler-join-list-international-qualifiers|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 November 2021|title = Shibata, Kumar, Schmutzler join list of International Qualifiers}}</ref> in the final to secure a third appearance in four years.
In 2024, he once again won the Indian Qualifier for the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship. He was able to win his first set at a PDC World Championship, but lost to Martin Lukeman 3–1.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-06 |title=Nitin Kumar secures PDC World Darts Championship return after nerve-wracking Indian qualifier |url=https://dartsnews.com/pdc/nitin-kumar-secures-pdc-world-darts-championship-return-after-nerve-wracking-indian-qualifier |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Dartsnews.com |language=en}}</ref>
==World Championship results== ===PDC=== * 2019: First round (lost to Jeffrey de Zwaan 0–3) * 2020: First round (lost to Brendan Dolan 0–3) * 2022: First round (lost to Ricky Evans 0–3) * 2025: First round (lost to Martin Lukeman 1–3) * 2026: Second round (lost to Stephen Bunting 0–3)
==Performance timeline== '''PDC''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2015 !! 2016–2018 !! 2019 !! 2020 !! 2021 !! 2022 !! 2023–2024 !! 2025 !! 2026 |- | colspan="14" align="left" |'''PDC Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| PDC World Championship | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R |- | colspan="14" align="left" |'''PDC Non-ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | PDC World Cup of Darts | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | |- |}
{{TournLegend|RU=F|LR3=Prel.}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.trbdarts.in www.trbdarts.in - player website] *{{Dartsdatabase|id=4929|name=Nitin Kumar}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Nitin}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Indian darts players Category:Professional Darts Corporation associate players Category:PDC World Cup of Darts Indian team Category:Sportspeople from Tamil Nadu Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen Category:Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
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