Akram: Hair will be cleared

Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram fears Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq will be punished in the ICC's investigation into the infamous fourth Test this week but thinks umpire Darrell Hair will be cleared.

Inzamam is charged with ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute following the forfeited fourth Test against England in the summer while Hair was also an unpopular figure for his part in the incident and his subsequent offer to resign in exchange for US 500,000.

Former Pakistan bowler Akram, however, believes the International Cricket Council will only find Inzamam guilty at a hearing which starts on Wednesday. "The ICC can't do anything about the umpires," he said. "If they do, teams will try it on, saying: 'We're not happy, change the umpire.'

"But they will fine or ban Inzamam-ul-Haq. Pakistan is being accused because we were giving a masterclass in ball-tampering and for 15 years nobody knew what we were doing."