KARACHI, March 29: Former champions PIA, boosted by return of six national stars, qualified for the semifinals of the National One-day Cricket Championship with a four-wicket victory over Allied Bank Limited (ABL) at UBL Sports Complex here Friday.

PIA, who ended runners-up behind the group winners Habib Bank, are most likely to face National Bank in the semifinal at Gaddafi Stadium Tuesday. National Bank, currently heading Group-II, meet ADBP Saturday.

In a do-or-die Group-I clash of the final round, PIA were indebted to experienced stalwart Ghulam Ali, who fell just one run short of well-deserved century, and current Test batsman Yousuf Youhana for playing key roles.

ABL set PIA 252 for victory. The bankers, for whom Usman Tariq excelled with a magnificent 131 off 130 balls, could have easily posted a bigger total but for lack of support at the other end.

Ghulam Ali looked in excellent touch throughout his stay but having reached 99, he top-edged an attempted pull down Wajahatullah Wasti’s throat on the deep backward square-leg boundary. The fourth-wicket partnership between Ghulam, who stroked six fours and one six in his 116-ball knock, and Youhana produced 78 off 44 balls.

Youhana finished on an unbeaten 72 off 65 deliveries to keep his side on track. Pacing his innings superbly, Youhana lifted Arshad Khan and Manzoor Akhtar for sixes besides striking three fours, including the winning hit when he cut Aamir Hanif to the point fence.

Faisal Iqbal also batted confidently at the top of the order during the opening stand of 95 in 18 overs. The youngster was stumped after contributing 42 off 49 balls when he was deceived in flight by a fine delivery from Arshad that curled away. Faisal struck four boundaries.

PIA went into the match without former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram who reported at the ground with an upset stomach. But the other Sharjah-bound members of Pakistan — Youhana, Faisal, Azhar Mahmood, Abdul Razzaq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Malik — considerably strengthened the playing XI.

Moin Khan’s decision to field first backfired at the start when the left-handed duo of Humayun Farhat and Usman Tariq gave ABL a spectacular start. They added 64 in only nine overs with Humayun carving a wayward Fazle Akbar for four fours and one six in his 36 off 32 balls.

Azhar Mahmood, jointly named Man-of-the-Match with Ghulam Ali, checked ABL’s progress by snapping up three wickets in 15 balls in identical fashion. Wajahatullah Wasti, however, looked extremely dejected when umpire Afzaal Ahmed adjudged him LBW for six.

Usman, the 18-year-old playing his second season for ABL, kept the momentum going virtually single-handedly with a slice of luck when Yasir Hameed floored a relatively simple chance on the long-leg boundary off Asif Mujtaba.

That fumble proved costly since Usman, who was 49 at the time, grew in stature with each passing over. His dismissal at 239 triggered a collapse as ABL their last four wickets for only 12 runs.

ABL’s cause was further dented by bad running with three batsmen found short of the crease, including Usman and Manzoor Akhtar, who was outsmarted by Moin’s superb presence of mind when the stocky right-hander tried to be too cheeky.

Azhar was the pick of PIA bowlers alongwith Mujtaba, finishing with four for 57. His last victim, Aamir Hanif, was brilliantly held by Moin down the leg side. Mujtaba bowled tightly in his stint of 10 overs, giving away 35 runs while picking the vital scalp of Ijaz Ahmed Jr.