In one of the most intriguing sports crossovers stories, it has come to light that Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola and Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas may have had a little beef over accommodation.
Cameron Ponsonby, a cricket journalist, explained the whole episode during a podcast by Wisden.
As part of his contract with the Hampshire Cricket Club, Mohammad Abbas is entitled to the premier suite of the Hilton Hotel which Pep Guardiola wanted to stay in as well while Manchester City was in town to play Southampton.
His request was immediately denied with the club favouring Abbas over the Spanish manager.
Part of his [Abbas] deal at Hampshire is that he has the premier penthouse suite at the Hilton hotel that overlooks the [The Ageas Bowl] ground, Ponsonby was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Man City were playing Southampton last week, and Man City were staying at the Hilton hotel. Man City put in a request that if their manager Pep Guardiola can take Abbas’ suite off him for two nights. Hampshire said no, that’s Mo Abbas’ suite. Pep, you go down the hallway, he added on the matter.
Abbas’ teammate Keith Barker later confirmed the story on his Instagram but added another caveat. According to Barker, the head of cricketing operations at Hampshire is an Arsenal fan, a team battling City for the Premier League title, so there was no chance that Guardiola was ousting Abbas from his place.
The Pakistan international has started the season in the brilliant form once again, picking up 9 wickets in the first county game.
He has picked up 2/34 thus far in Hampshire’s ongoing second game against Surrey.
