Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said on Monday that Pakistan would prove to be a hard nut to crack even in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in the Champions Trophy. Lanka take on Pakistan in Jaipur on Tuesday.

"I do not think their absence will make any difference and we are not taking them lightly. When teams have such problems they come hard at you," Jayawardene said.

"It is disappointing, but that is something the Pakistani cricket team and officials have to deal with. We are looking forward to the challenge," he added. "When teams have these kinds of problems they come hard at you. We have played Pakistan quite a few times to realize that. The match is as important for us as any other game."

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