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Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas has shared an interesting story from his time at Hampshire, revealing how Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was denied a hotel room.
Abbas, who had been playing for Hampshire County Cricket Club, was released last winter after impressive performances over four seasons. During those seasons, he took 180 wickets at an outstanding average of 19.26.
The 35-year-old is currently playing for Nottinghamshire in the ongoing County Cricket Championship.
In an interview with a British news outlet, Mohammad Abbas revealed the story of the Manchester Manager requesting his room.
“I didn’t know about it at the time, but our head coach told me the next morning that he had wanted my room,” Abbas said.
“The Hilton emailed the Hampshire management to ask if it was possible, but they were told no, I would be spending six months there. So that was what happened,” he added.
The right-arm pacer also shed light on Hampshire’s decision to release him, emphasizing that the club’s new Indian owners did not have an issue with a Pakistani cricketer.
“No, that’s not why. James Vince had stopped playing four-day cricket, and they said they needed a batter for an overseas player; so a bit of a restructure.
“We had good communication around it, and they are good people. Still, they are messaging me, and I am messaging them. They are fantastic, he explained.”
For the unversed, Mohammad Abbas made his debut for Pakistan in 2017. He has played 27 Test matches until now, claiming 100 wickets at an impressive average of 23.18.
Abbas was recalled to the Pakistan team after a three-year gap during the tour of South Africa last December; however, three weeks later, he was not included in the home series against the West Indies.
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