Pakistan seamer Mohammad Aamer's five-year match-fixing ban will be "reviewed" after a "revised" anti-corruption code has been adopted by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body said Saturday.
Officials plan to discuss the new code in January although a statement issued Saturday after a two-day ICC board meeting in London left open the possibility its adoption could be delayed.
"The ICC board was informed that a revised version of a more robust and strengthened ICC anti-corruption code will be submitted for discussion/approval at the January 2014 meeting," the statement said.
"During the discussion, the matter of Mohammad Aamer's five-year ban also came up for discussion.
"The ICC board decided to review the matter in due course after the revised ICC anti-corruption code has been finalised and adopted."
This statement will come as a disappointment to Aamer, who had been buoyed in the build-up to this weekend's meeting by the fact the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had taken up his case with the ICC.
The PCB, responding to Saturday's announcement, said they'd been encouraged by their talks with England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke, who is heading up an ICC anti-corruption laws review committee.
"(He) assured PCB chairman Najam Sethi that he would work with him to find ways and means of positively reviewing the young fast bowler's case," a PCB statement said.
"Earlier, Mr Sethi made a passionate pitch before the ICC board to review Aamer's case and enable him to play first-class cricket as soon as possible.
"The British QC engaged by the PCB has argued that, keeping in view the acceptance of guilt by Mohammad Aamer, the ban has become unjust and perverse."
In February 2011 the now 21-year-old Aamer was banned for five years, along with team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, for deliberately bowling no-balls in return for the promise of money during the 2010 Lord's Test against England.
Butt, Pakistan's captain at the time of the incident which came about as a result of a sting operation by now defunct UK tabloid the News of the World, was banned for 10 years (five suspended) and Asif seven years (two suspended).
All three players served jailed terms for violating English law's Gambling Act.
There was, however, widespread sympathy for talented left-arm paceman Aamer, who at the time of the scandal was regarded as world cricket's hottest property,
He'd made a huge impression in 14 Tests, taking 51 wickets at an average of under 30 apiece following his debut in 2009, with a best of six for 84 against England at Lord's in 2010 - the same match in which he bowled the no-balls that led to his downfall.
Butt and Asif have also approached the PCB to seek their help in reducing their respective bans.
But given their greater experience, and the fact that Butt in particular was widely regarded as having helped lead Aamer astray, their pleas have so far been ignored.
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