World Cup of Darts star leaves team-mate furious with mistake in bizarre moment | Other | Sport

A bizarre miscalculation at the World Cup of Darts prompted an angry confrontation at the oche between two team-mates. Chinese Taipei’s Teng-Lieh Pupo appeared to be unaware that he needed double 19 to secure a victory against India in Germany.

Pupo had the opportunity to finish the match with Chinese Taipei needing only 38 to beat India in the first-to-four clash. However, he seemed to miscount, throwing first at one and then at double 19. In the incredible scenes, Sky Sports’ camera panned to the double 19 in anticipation of the shot landing, only to then have to awkwardly pan up the board to one. Pupo’s team-mate, An-Sheng Lu, was not amused. Referee Kirk Bevans declared “no score”, leaving Pupo bewildered before he finally became aware of his error.

Lu angrily stormed towards his team-mate to demand an explanation. In a fiery outburst rarely seen on darts stages, Pupo gestured animatedly, suggesting that he did not realise he needed only a double 19.

Clearly aware that he was risking a major public bust-up, Lu carefully walked away. Pupo seemed to laugh at his mistake as he collected his darts from the board.

He returned to Lu at the edge of the stage, with the two players continuing their argument in the background as India won the leg to make the score 3-1. Both players could be seen raising their voices at each other and waving their arms around in frustration.

To add further animosity, India then made it 3-2. However, Pupo and Lu were able to compose themselves and get over their anger. They went on to win 4-2 but previously lost their first group match against Czechia. Chinese Taipei are relying on India to beat Czechia to have any chance of progressing to the knockout phase of the tournament.

England duo Luke Littler and Luke Humphries are strong favourites to win the competition. The world No. 2 and No. 1 were one of four teams to receive a bye to the next round due to their favourable rankings.

A sixth World Cup triumph would extend England’s record. However, Littler and Humphries have been warned that they will not have an easy ride in Germany. Ireland’s Willie O’Connor said: “It’s not singles, we’ll see how egos go. If egos go against you, then you never know how that doubles will go. [I] don’t know how those pairs will gel, they might not gel together.

“Yes, they have the potential to just whitewash everyone in their way. But also, they have the potential to fall apart. So we’ll see, you don’t know until it happens.”