Watch as Hawkins produces ‘one of the all-time flukes’ to ‘one of the all-time faux pas’
Video credit: TNT Sports
It was an error that would ultimately see him bow out of the 2026 tournament.And it came just 30 seconds after a huge stroke of luck for Hawkins looked as though it would send his quarter-final match against Mark Allen to a decider.
With Allen leading 12-11 in the best-of-25 contest, Hawkins closed to 59-43 behind in the frame when he hit off two cushions to escape a snooker and fluked the final red.
TNT Sports commentator Phil Yates called it ”one of the all-time flukes.” Instead of potting a colour next, Hawkins opted to try and roll up behind the pink to snooker Allen on the yellow.
However, Hawkins left the cue ball short and committed a foul. Yates said it was ”one of the all-time faux pas” as Hawkins was left staring in shock at the mistake.
”He will remember that shot for a long, long time if he loses this match,” said Joe Johnson on TNT Sports.
‘What a changing point that could be!’ – Hawkins lucks out in tense battle with Allen
Video credit: TNT Sports
Not only did Hawkins give points away by fouling, but he was made to play again by Allen from a difficult position next to the pink.
Hawkins managed to hit the yellow with some swerve, but the white bounced off the jaws of the middle pocket, leaving Allen a chance to pot the yellow.
Allen made no mistake and was soon punching the air as he booked his place in the semi-finals.
”I didn’t want it to go 12-12 so when Barry fluked the red my heart sank,” said Allen afterwards.
”But when he left the cue ball short of the pink I was doing somersaults inside. I potted a good yellow.”
Hawkins said he was ”gutted” to lose in the manner that he did. ”Under-hitting the pink at the end after a massive slice of luck, not a great way to lose,” he told TNT Sports.
”I was just thinking don’t overhit it. It’s unforgivable. I don’t even know why I stood up and played it like that, I normally get down on the cue.
“But whatever way you want to play it you can’t do that. It was tense and I probably twitched it a bit, it happens.”
Allen will compete in his third Crucible semi-final against either Wu Yize or Hossein Vafaei over a possible 33 frames on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
He has never been beyond the last four of the tournament.
“It means a lot to be into the semi-finals,” said Allen. ”The first hurdle here is always round one, and then the next one is to get to the single table. I haven’t made it past the next hurdle yet, though both of my previous semi-finals have been close.
”I have won everything else so there’s no reason I can’t win this. I am not close to my best so I need to improve. Every year I feel I can win it and if I play my best I have a chance, but I’m only halfway there.”
How to watch and stream the World Championship
You can watch every day of the 2026 Halo World Snooker Championship live on TNT Sports.
It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.
