The darts world is still reeling from the shocking first-round exit of England’s Luke Littler and Luke Humphries at the 2025 PDC World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt, where the top-ranked duo fell 8-4 to Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko. As the dust settles on the upset, two-time world champion Adrian Lewis has stepped forward with a candid defense of the young stars, offering insights into how they can forge a championship-winning partnership like the one he shared with Phil Taylor, which delivered four World Cup titles between 2012 and 2016. Lewis’s reflections, laced with his trademark honesty, provide a roadmap for the “Lukes of Hazard” to rebound and claim glory in 2026.
Littler, the 18-year-old reigning PDC world champion, and Humphries, the world No. 1 and 2024 World Cup winner with Michael Smith, entered the tournament as overwhelming favorites. Their pedigree—Littler’s record-breaking World Championship triumph and Humphries’ Premier League and World Matchplay titles—set sky-high expectations. Yet, in Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle, the pair struggled to find their rhythm, averaging a modest 92.22 and 94.82, respectively, while missing seven of 11 double attempts. The German duo, fueled by a raucous home crowd, capitalized with relentless precision, with Pietreczko’s 106 and 101 checkouts proving decisive. “They never dropped off for a millisecond,” Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle noted of the Germans, highlighting how England’s every leg “was earned.”
Lewis, who knows the unique pressures of World Cup pairs play, attributes the loss to a lack of experience rather than a lack of chemistry, pushing back against Gerwyn Price’s claim that the English duo lacked a team ethic. “They didn’t seem to click, did they? They didn’t seem to get into the right rhythm,” Lewis observed. “But it was always going to be a tough ask against Germany, in Germany, with the crowd against them as well. Obviously it was Luke’s [Littler] first time there, and I think it was only the second time for Luke Humphries. They just haven’t got the experience yet in that field.” Drawing from his own storied partnership with Taylor, Lewis emphasized the importance of mutual support. “Sometimes I was rubbish in the pairs, and Phil would pull me through. Other times he wasn’t so good, and I pulled him through,” he recalled. “That’s what you need to be a team. I wouldn’t dare play crap – otherwise I’d get a right bollocking!”
The hostile Frankfurt crowd, which booed Littler and Humphries during their walk-on to “Vindaloo,” added to the challenge. Littler, in particular, appeared rattled, missing three darts at a double in the fifth leg, allowing Germany to surge ahead. Despite a 123 checkout to spark hope, England couldn’t recover from a 5-2 deficit at the break. Schindler, who had boldly declared the English duo “beatable,” proved his point, stating, “We believed in ourselves, and that was the key.” Humphries, consoling his younger teammate post-match, later insisted they had a team mindset, countering Price’s critique: “You need to turn up as a team, practice together, sit together,” Price had said, implying England’s preparation fell short.
Lewis remains optimistic, seeing the defeat as a learning opportunity. “Next year, now they’ve had that experience together, it can only make them stronger,” he predicted. His own World Cup success with Taylor, the 16-time world champion, was built on years of grinding through tough moments. “Me and Phil didn’t just walk into it and click overnight. It took time,” Lewis explained. “These two will get there – but they’ve got to learn how to carry each other through the rough patches. That’s what makes a winning team.” Taylor himself had high hopes for the pair, declaring before the tournament, “Luke and Luke – there’s the winners of the World Cup. I am telling you now, put your money on them.” Their early exit, however, echoed England’s 2010 loss to Spain, the worst since Lewis and Taylor’s era, as noted by British media.
The World Cup’s pairs format demands more than individual brilliance—it requires rhythm, trust, and resilience under pressure. Littler and Humphries, with their combined eight major PDC titles, have the raw talent but need to hone their synergy. Lewis’s partnership with Taylor thrived on accountability; he feared Taylor’s “rollickings” if he underperformed, a dynamic that drove their dominance. “You are not playing for yourself, you are playing for your teammates and the nation,” Lewis said, recalling the pride of wearing the England shirt. For Littler and Humphries, the 2025 setback could forge a similar bond, with Humphries’ experience guiding the younger “Nuke” through high-stakes moments.
As England looks to 2026, Littler’s enthusiasm remains undimmed. “I cannot wait,” he said before the 2025 event, eager to represent his country. With Humphries, who called playing for England an honor “no matter how tired I was,” the duo has the drive to rebound. Their Frankfurt stumble, while humbling, sets the stage for a redemption arc, with Lewis’s wisdom lighting the way. “They’ve got all the tools – it’s just about learning how to use them as a pair,” he concluded. For now, the darts world watches as Littler and Humphries aim to transform their individual brilliance into a partnership that could rival the legendary Taylor-Lewis dynasty.
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