July 21, 2007	Saturday	Rajab 05, 1428

LAHORE, July 20: Ameer Abdullah Rokhri ranking badminton tournament, having a cash prize of Rs120,000, will be organized at New Khan hall from July 30 to Aug 5. Secretary of the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) Aamir Hayat Rokhri said the winner of the men's singles would receive around Rs12,000.

Asked why a meagre amount for cash prizes had been set, the secretary said it was because of limited resources.

The secretary didn’t agree the standard of the game was on decline for the last one year as no outstanding player emerged from juniors to replace national champions Wajid Ali and Zeeshan.

“The game is prospering and new players are being groomed, while the federation has been organising a good number of tournaments,” he said.

He said around 200 players from National Bank, Wapda, Karachi Port Trust, Railways, Army, HEC, PIA, New Khan, four provinces, Islamabad, Fata and AJK would take part in the competition.

Wajid Ali and Ayesha Akram will defend their men’s and women’s singles titles. Wapda will defend the team title both in men’s and women’s categories.

Pakistan Circuit tournament would be held in Islamabad in the last week of November with $15,000 as cash prize.s