Bengal piled up 304/3 at stumps, with Abishek Porel unbeaten on 114 and Sudip Gharami on 122, to outscore Delhi's 240 and claim a 64‑run first‑innings advantage. The match, held at the Bengal Cricket Academy, saw Porel overcome a shoulder injury and months behind bars before making a triumphant return.
The turning point came in the fourth wicket, when Porel and Gharami stitched a 199‑run unbroken partnership, lifting the team to a comfortable lead. Their partnership was a masterclass in resilience, with Porel’s calm counter‑attacks and Gharami’s powerful drives.
Delhi’s skipper Ayush Badoni tried seven bowlers, but the wickets kept slipping away. Porel was dropped twice at 2 and 23, and wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat missed a stumping at 48.
With the lead secured, Bengal can now dictate the terms of the chase, while Delhi must regroup to chase a target in the final session.
The next challenge for Bengal is to convert the advantage into a win by chasing the remaining runs in the last innings.