Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel scored an unbeaten century against Delhi in their ongoing Ranji Trophy Group C match on Monday.
The left-handed batter broke down in tears after reaching the milestone and later spoke to reporters about his emotional reaction and the alleged rape case against him.
"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," Porel said.
"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," he added.
Bengal resumed their first innings on Monday after bowling Delhi out for 240 on Sunday. At stumps, Bengal had reached 304 for three in 79 overs, taking control of the contest.
Porel remained unbeaten on 114 off 161 balls, while Sudip Gharami was not out on 122 off 221 deliveries. The pair shared an unbroken 199-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put Bengal in a strong position.
What Are The Allegations Against Abhishek Porel?
A young medical student from Karnataka filed a complaint against Porel at Mogra Police Station on June 23. According to the complaint, the woman alleged that she and the cricketer had been in a relationship for around three-and-a-half years and had planned to get married.
She also alleged that they had travelled abroad together, but that Porel later denied their relationship. Following this, she approached the police authorities.
The complaint further stated that the two had a dispute around a year and a half earlier, which led to police intervention. However, no formal complaint was filed at that time.
Calcutta High Court Proceedings And Bail
Following the complaint in June, police launched an investigation. Police teams reportedly visited Porel's residence in Chandannagar several times but were unable to find him there.
The woman subsequently approached the Calcutta High Court. According to the information provided, the court directed the police to arrest Porel on July 20.
The proceedings also involved allegations of criminal intimidation and other offences, in addition to the rape allegation.
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The 23-year-old is currently out on bail.
The allegations remain allegations, and the case must be understood in the context of the ongoing legal proceedings.
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