DARTS – Bahraini darts talents Basem Mahmood and Abdulla Saeed are in high spirits as they get set to fly the kingdom’s flag in front of their home fans in the 2025 Bahrain Darts Masters.
The two-day darts spectacle, set to be the first event of this year’s Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Series of Darts, takes place this Thursday and Friday at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
Mahmood and Saeed are part of a star-studded 16-player field – made up of eight PDC professionals who are the biggest names in the game and eight Asian representatives – that will be vying for the prestigious title.
Mahmood and Saeed earned their places after finishing as the top two players in a national qualifying tournament held last month, with Mahmood finishing as the overall winner and Saeed the runner-up. They are now looking forward to holding their own against the very best in the international game.
“My feeling is good and I am very excited to be the top Bahraini qualifier,” Mahmood told the GDN. “I am practising daily to give it my best and represent Bahrain in the best way possible.”
Saeed added: “The excitement is building every single day! It is a mix of nerves and exhilaration. Playing on home soil in front of my own people is a dream come true. The atmosphere is going to be electric, and I can’t wait to step on that stage.”
Both Mahmood and Saeed will be competing in the Bahrain Darts Masters for the second time – Mahmood took part in the 2023 edition while Saeed was part of the field last year.
“It was a valuable learning experience,” Saeed told the GDN. “I learned to handle the pressure of playing in front of a massive crowd. I also learned the importance of staying focused and believing in myself.
“This year, I’m coming back stronger, more experienced, and with a greater determination to succeed.”
Mahmood is also looking to take advantage of his past participation in this upcoming third edition of the competition.
“I’ll be blocking my surroundings once on the oche and just focus on my game,” said Mahmood, who revealed that a family emergency prevented him from competing for a spot in last year’s event in the kingdom.
“I’m now back playing and I feel proud representing Bahrain,” he added. “The support and advice I get from Ramiz (Arabian Bullseye) is great in pushing me to improve.”
The 2025 Bahrain Darts Masters boasts a glittering cast of PDC superstars, headlined by teenage darts sensation, recently crowned world champion, and defending champion in the kingdom, Luke Littler. He will be joined by world number one and 2024 world champion Luke Humphries, former world champions Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, and Peter Wright, former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall, and Bahrain debutants Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey.
“It is an incredible honour to share the stage with the legends of the sport, in my own country,” said Saeed. “It’s a huge challenge, but I’m ready to embrace it. I want to show the world what Bahraini darts is capable of.”
The official draw for the first round of action will be taking place on Wednesday night at Bahrain Rugby Football Club (BRFC) in Saar, and the Bahrain representatives are ready to learn of their match-up.
“I wish to play against Littler,” said Mahmood. “All eyes are on him now, but all the players are professionals and a big experience for me to play against any of them.”
Commented Saeed: “The draw is always exciting and unpredictable. I’m not going to dwell on who I might face – I’m focusing on my own game, my preparation, and my mental fortitude.
“I respect every player, and I’m ready to face whoever comes my way.”
Mahmood and Saeed are amongst eight Asian players who will be taking on the PDC icons in round one. The others are PDC Asian champion Lourence Ilagan, his fellow-Filipino stars Alexis Toylo and Paolo Nebrida, Chinese number one Xiaochen Zong, Hong Kong’s Lok Yin Lee, and top Indian star Nitin Kumar.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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