Pakistan cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has been suspended for bringing the game into disrepute, but his clearance on a ball tampering charge raises questions about the actions of Australian umpire Darrell Hair.

Inzamam was suspended for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute, relating to his actions as captain during last month's England-Pakistan fourth Test when he refused to bring his team onto The Oval after it had been punished for ball tampering.

It was a relatively lenient punishment, as he could have received a suspension of up to four Tests and eight one-dayers, plus a fine.

Inzamam has 24 hours to lodge a possible appeal against that finding and if he does not, he will miss Pakistan's opening matches in the Champions Trophy in India.

International Cricket Council referee Ranjan Madugalle, who conducted the hearing at The Oval, cleared Inzamam of ball tampering.

He had examined the match ball and found there was "no cogent evidence" of ball tampering, saying marks were consistent with standard wear and tear.

It left a significant question mark over the actions of Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove to punish Pakistan with a run penalty, given there was no real evidence of ball tampering taking place.

That decision triggered what became the first forfeit in 129 years of Test cricket.

A written judgement of the ICC investigation and hearing will be released at a later date, but in a summary of his judgement read out by an ICC media spokesman, Madugalle said: "On the first charge of ball-tampered under paragraph 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, I find Mr Ul-Haq not guilty".

"Having regard to the seriousness of the allegation of ball-tampering - it is an allegation of cheating - I am not satisfied on the balance of probabilities that there is sufficiently cogent evidence the fielding team had changed the condition of the ball.

"In my judgment, the marks are as consistent with normal wear and tear of a match ball after 56 overs as they are with deliberate human interventions."

Pakistan called three English expert witnesses - former Test batsman Geoffrey Boycott, former Test umpire John Hampshire and ex-Middlesex pace bowler turned television analyst Simon Hughes in Inzamam's defence.

"I have considered their evidence, honestly and fairly given, very carefully. But my duty is to form and give my own judgment," Madugalle added.

The Sri Lankan made it clear that it was Pakistan's failure to resume play that had been the reason behind Inzamam's ban.

"He has been found guilty of twice deliberately refusing to come onto the field of play as a protest against the umpires."

This was the 11th time in his career that Inzamam had been punished under the ICC code of conduct.

After the match ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed revealed Australian official Hair had sent the world governing body an email saying he would stand down from their elite panel of officials in exchange for $US500,000 ($A667,330) - an offer the umpire later rescinded.

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