KARACHI, Feb 13 Over 100 players from across the country will compete for different honours when the Sea Rock 52nd National badminton championship carrying the richest ever prize money of Rs0.5million starts at the PSB Coaching Centre on Sunday.

The country`s premier championship is taking place in the city after a lapse of four years and promises to unearth some new faces on the national horizon.

The details of the event which ends on Feb 21 were unfolded at a press conference by the officials of Sindh and Karachi associations at the venue on Friday.

The Karachi City District Badminton Association (KCDBA) is staging the event in collaboration with the Sindh Badminton Association (SBA)

President SBA Raees Paracha, said Sindh took the lead by offering richest prize purse despite inflation.

Secretary SBA Saleem Paracha, secretary KCDBA Jalaluddin, and chief referee Anwar Saeed also spoke on the occasion.

The events that are to take place are men`s singles and doubles, women`s singles and doubles, veteran`s singles and doubles, mixed doubles and men`s and women`s team events.

The men and women`s singles winners will receive Rs40,000 apiece.

Players of the affiliated units of the Pakistan Badminton Federation namely Sindh, Pun-jab, Balochistan, NWFP, Islamabad, Fata, Wapda, NBP, Railways, Karachi Port Trust, HEC, New Khan, Azad Kashmir and Army are expected to feature in the contest.

Wajid Ali and Sara Khan will defend their individual titles. Wapda and NBP are the reigning men`s and women`s team champions.