An ICC tribunal's decision to defer the spot-fixing verdict until next month will give renewed hope to suspended Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, his lawyer said Thursday.

Shahid Karim, who represented Amir at the International Cricket Concil's anti-corruption tribunal in Doha, was confident the player will be exonerated when its decision is announced on Feb. 5. "The last day of the (six-day) hearing was very positive," Karim said.

The three-man tribunal - headed by Michael Beloff - deferred its verdict as it wanted to deliberate after 45 hours of exhaustive hearings.

Three Pakistan players - Amir, Mohammad Asif and former captain Salman Butt - were suspended last September after a British tabloid alleged they accepted payments for bowling prearranged no-balls in a test against England.