'Boom Boom' Afridi laments loss of key spinner Saeed Ajmal

Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has admitted that his team will miss suspended ace spinner Saeed Ajmal when they meet Australia here for a match on Sunday.

The 36-year-old off-spinner is serving suspension on illegal bowling action and will not be available to play internationally until he is cleared after remedial work and reassessment.

Ajmal has been an integral part for Pakistan in all three formats of the game, having missed only three Twenty20 matches since his debut, also against Australia at the same venue in 2009.

He is the leading wicket-taker in all Twenty20 cricket with 85 in 63 matches, a record which Afridi admitted made him an important bowler.

Pakistan, according to Sport24, have selected 22-year-old left-arm spinner Raza Hasan as Ajmal's replacement.

Afridi said other spinners Mohammad Hafeez and uncapped 24-year-old leg-spinning allrounder Saad Nasim would bolster the Pakistan attack.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann has already played down Ajmal's absence, saying Pakistan will be tough even without the spinner.