DOHA: The ICC tribunal has deferred its spot-fixing match verdict over the three Pakistan players Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and former captain Salman Butt on Thursday until next month which has given renewed hope to the suspended players.

 The ICC will announce its decision on February 5, 2011.

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

The three Pakistan players were suspended last September after a British tabloid alleged they accepted payments for no-balls in a test against England.

The latest spot-fixing case against the Pakistan trio has been described as the biggest in cricket over the last decade. The player could be banned for life if found guilty.

The tribunal had exonerated Amir from the spot-fixing charges in the Oval test against England, with only the spot-fixing charge from the Lord's test remaining.

The players could challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.