KARACHI: Karachi and Multan will clash in the final of the PCB-Pepsi Cricket Stars Under-16 tournament on the basis of first-innings’ lead after both semi-finals were drawn in Islamabad on Thursday.

Multan drew with Abbottabad at the Bhutto Cricket Stadium after taking a handsome lead of 108 after restricting their opponents to 137 all out in their first innings.

Abbottabad, who were 84-4 at start of play on the last day of the two-day match, lost their remaining six wickets for the addition of only 53 runs. Arsalan Ajmal, who resumed at 32, was the top-scorer with 55.

Wasim Zafar bagged four wickets for 31 runs, while Mohammad Hamza and Faraz Khan took two wickets each.

Multan then batted briskly before declaring their second innings at 172-9 in 43 overs. Ahmed Sultan scored 54 and Rao Irfan 31.

Abbottabad, chasing an improbable 281 in the remaining time, reached 114-5 with Saif-ur-Rehman contributing an unbeaten 30.

In the other semi-final at the Diamond Club Ground, Karachi made a brilliant recovery after being 141-5 at stumps on Wednesday in reply to Bahawalpur’s tally of 224-8 to post 237 all out in 69 overs.

Captain Mohammad Hassan Khan was their hero with a knock of 57. Ammad Alam, who resumed at 48, was dismissed for 54.

Ahmed Raza captured two more wickets to finish with fine figures of five for 54. Naved Ramzan grabbed three wickets for 64 runs.

Beginning their second innings with a deficit of 13 runs, Bahawalpur batted positively in their bid for an early declaration so that their bowlers would get ample to bowl out Karachi cheaply.

Bahawalpur eventually closed at 159-6 in 34 overs to leave Karachi with a target of 147.

Sajid Iqbal (42) and Ali Imran (36 not out) were the leading run-getters for Bahawalpur.

Karachi utilised 26 overs to end up with 75-2 in their second innings with S.M. Tahami scoring an undefeated 46.

The final will be played at the weekend at the Diamond Club Ground.

Scores and results on Thursday (final day of two):

At Bhutto Cricket Stadium, Islamabad: Match drawn.

MULTAN 245 in 64.4 overs (Umar Sadiq 24, Mohammad Faizan 85, Ahmed Sultan 26, Sharon Siraj 23, Rao Irfan 62, Mohammad Ismail 2-21, Mansoor Ali 4-75) and 172-9 declared in 43 overs (Ahmed Sultan 54, Rao Irfan 31, Uzair Abdullah 23 not out, Umar Sadiq 17; Mohammad Ismail 2-19, Mohammad Mohsin 2-25, Mansoor Ali 2-44); ABBOTTABAD 137 in 54.3 overs (Arsalan Ajmal 55, Khayyam Khan 29; Wasim Zafar 4-31, Mohammad Hamza 2-26, Faraz Khan 2-40) and 114-5 in 26 overs (Saif-ur-Rehman 30 not out, Arsalan Ajmal 20, Kamil Agha 18 not out; Uzair Abdullah 2-30, Faraz Khan 2-46).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

BAHAWALPUR 224-8 in 70 overs (Mohammad Umair 65, Hamza Khan 50, Ali Imran 35 not out, Sajid Iqbal 32; Saad Zahid 4-52, Mohammad Umar 3-50) and 159-6 declared in 34 overs (Sajid Iqbal 42, Ali Imran 36 not out, Mohammad Umair 30; Mohammad Hassan Khan 2-25); KARACHI 237 in 69 overs (Mohammad Hassan Khan 57, Ammad Alam 54, Azam Khan 39, Asad Ali 24; Ahmed Raza 5-54, Naved Ramzan 3-64) and 75-2 in 26 overs (S.M. Tahami 46 not out, Ammad Alam 20 not out; Ahmed Raza 2-18).

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2014