Abhishek Porel Scores Emotional Century After Bail in Rape Allegation Case

Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel marked his return to competitive cricket with an impressive innings in the Ranji Trophy 2026–27 match against Delhi. He scored 149 runs off 149 balls, hitting 17 fours and a six, helping Bengal reach 429 in their first innings. Bengal secured a substantial lead of 189 runs. The century was reportedly only the second first-class hundred of Porel’s career. After reaching the milestone, he became visibly emotional, sat on his knees and cried before raising his bat to acknowledge the applause.

Speaking after the second day’s play, Porel said the tears came spontaneously and reiterated that he wanted to answer through his cricket rather than words. He thanked coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla and officials of the Cricket Association of Bengal for supporting him during a difficult period. Porel had recently been released on bail in a case involving allegations of rape, deception on the promise of marriage and threats. He has denied the allegations, and the case remains a legal matter. The Cricket Association of Bengal selected him for the opening Ranji Trophy match, stating that his personal and legal matters were separate from the team-selection process.