Luke Littler has set up a World Championship final with Luke Humphries with a breathtaking win over Rob Cross in the semi-finals.
The 16-year-old has taken the sporting world - not just the darting one - by storm with a succession of highly-accomplished performances on his first appearance in the tournament.
On Tuesday night, he took things to another level, averaging an astonishing 106.05 in seeing off former champion Cross by a 6-2 scoreline.
Littler's character was tested after he lost the first set in a decider but he proceeded to take six of the next seven sets in one of the highest-quality last-four showdowns in the competition's history.
Cross and Littler shared 26 180s between them - the teenager hitting 16 of them - and he was only stopped in his tracks when Cross edged the fifth after he had failed to take out a 74 finish.
Despite the quality that was on show from the first leg, the best was saved till last, Littler averaging in excess of 116 in a set that he needed to make history.
LUKE LITTLER IS IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL!!! 😱
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 2, 2024
Luke Littler has beaten Rob Cross 6-2!
A 106.05 average from the 16-year-old sensation!
📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD#WCDarts | SF pic.twitter.com/1x90nLF1oL
Humphries awaits Littler in the final after he trounced Scott Williams by a 6-0 scoreline with one of the best averages ever recorded at the Alexandra Palace.
A 108.74 was the eighth highest ever posted at the PDC World Championship, Humphries remarkably hitting 14 maximums and posting a 60% checkout percentage.
The match could have been very different had Williams taken set one, three or four - all of which went to a decider - but Humphries was clinical in securing a win that also takes him to world number one for the first time in his career.
