Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman Abhishek Porel scored an unbeaten century for his team in the ongoing Group C Ranji Trophy match against Delhi on Monday. After scoring a large number of points, the left-handed pitcher broke down in tears on the field. At the end of the day, Slugger spoke to reporters about his reaction and also broke his silence on the rape allegation.
Abhishek Porel hit 114 off 137 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and six runs on the second day of Bengal’s Elite Group C match at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani. The 23-year-old reached the triple-digit tally after a gap of over three months from competitive cricket and after missing the recently concluded Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup tournaments. It was his second century in first-class cricket and his first match of the 2026-27 domestic season.
Porel said, “I didn’t want to cry; it came automatically. My celebration was a statement that I don’t want to say anything. I just want to play cricket. I want to answer everyone through cricket. I have seen how to survive in a different world, a different universe. I have taken a lot of positive things from there, which have made me mentally tougher. Each day, each minute, each second, the way I spent them constantly reminded me while batting that I won’t answer with my mouth, I will answer with my bat.”
Porel batted in the number five position and shared a 199-run partnership with Sudip Kumar Gharami, who also scored a century. The batter had only one first-class century across the previous two years, a fact that weighed on his mind as he built his innings. Gharami’s steady presence at the crease proved instrumental in Porel’s return to form after months away from the game.
Bengal reached 304 for three in 79 overs at stumps on Monday, resuming their first innings after bowling out Delhi for 240 on Sunday. Gharami (122 not out off 221 balls) and Porel (114 not out off 161 balls) had an uninterrupted 199-run stand for the fourth wicket.
