LAHORE, Oct 27 Abbottabad marched into the final of the PCB-Pepsi Cricket Stars Under-16 tournament after defeating favourites Karachi on a superior run-rate after the scores were tied in the second semi-final at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Wednesday.

Abbottabad will play Quetta at the same venue in Friday's final.

Batting first, Abbottabad made 196 in 48 overs with Khushdil Shah (43), Mohammad Arsalan (42), Mohammad Tariq (40) and Mohammad Hanif (35) the main scorers. Spinners Mohammad Salman and Faazullah bagged three wickets each.

Karachi got exactly same total for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs. But according to the tournament's rules, since Abbottabad had got their runs in 48 overs, they were declared winners.

For Karachi Danish Aziz (46) and Shahzaib Khan 40 were the chief run-getters. Mohammad Karim claimed three wickets for 39 and Riaz-ul-Amin two wickets for 45.

Summarised scores

ABBOTTABAD 196 in 48 overs (Khushdil Shah 43, Mohammad Arsalan 42, Mohammad Tariq 40, Mohammad Hanif 35; Mohammad Salman 3-27, Faazullah 3-30); KARACHI 196-9 in 50 overs (Danish Aziz 46, Shahzaib Khan 40, Jawwad Alam 36, Agha Mustafa Durrani 25; Mohammad Karim 3-39, Riaz-ul-Amin 2-45).