Prakash Jiwa finally gets chance to represent India at PDC World Darts Championship: "There's been talks about it for many years"

Prakash Jiwa faces Madars Razma in the opening round of the PDC World Darts Championship as he finally gets his Ally Pally dream at the age of 52.

Jiwa also known as 'The Apache' who lives in Rugby was only allowed to enter the Indian Qualifier this year and as he reaches the latter end of his career, it is now a reality.

"It started to dwindle away as I got a little bit older because you have to look realistically. I'm 52 now, but I still enjoy playing the game of darts. Can I compete? Now and again. I can still do these 100 averages now and again, I had the belief that I could one day make it and finally my dream has come true and I can show the world what I can play like," said Jiwa to Tungsten Tales.

"I've been playing darts for 35 years now and I suppose its any dart players' dream to one day play at the World Championship stage when you first pick up a set of darts and throughout your time and as you get better you want to try and emulate them and to actually be there and say I've finally done it. It's massive for me."

"I had this dream while I was playing on the PDC ProTour but didn't quite get there. I had a couple of opportunities but it's very tough."

Speaking on the story of only being able to play this year, the former Tour Card holder said that he is not able to play the World Cup still but after many years of talks, the goalposts budged for Ally Pally.

"I've had dual citizenship for eight years. It means I can go and live in India if I want to but my work and my family life is over here. But this year, the PDC allowed me to with my dual citizenship go over to India to see if I could qualify. But only this year, there's been talks about it for many years."

"I wanted to play in the World Cup of Darts and I'm still not eligible to do that due to the rules and regulations but this year, the PDC granted that if you have dual citizenship, you're eligible to play."