Zimbabwe’s stunning one-run win over Pakistan in the Super 12 2022 T20 World Cup match in Perth was bookended by a cheeky and hilarious off-field storyline involving “fake Mr. Bean” on Thursday night.
How did it all start?
On the eve of the 2022 T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, a Zimbabwean Twitter handle Ngugi Chasura responded to Pakistan Cricket Board’s tweet about the team’s training session with: “As Zimbabweans we wont forgive you. You once gave us that Fraud Pak Bean instead of Mr Bean Rowan. We will settle the matter tomorrow. Just pray that rain doesn’t save you.”
When prodded by Pakistan fans, Chasura replied, “they gave us Pak Bean instead of Mr Bean in one of our local events called Agricultural show”. And he tweeted a pic of the Pakistani look-alike at an event. “This is … Pak Bean who imitates Mr Bean stealing people’s money”.
Who is fake Mr. Bean?
The fake “Mr Bean” dates back to 2016 when Pakistani comedian Asif Muhammad, a doppelganger of Mr Bean, played by British actor Rowan Atkinson, had travelled to Zimbabwe posing as the actual Mr Bean.
What did Zimbabwean President say?
The Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa congratulated the team on a famous win over Pakistan with the below tweet.
“What a win for Zimbabwe! Congratulations to the Chevrons,” the first line read. Pretty regulation enough. Then came the money shot in the second line.
“Next time, send the real Mr Bean…#PakvsZim”
Did the Pakistan Prime Minister respond to him?
Oh yes, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tweet thus: “We may not have the real Mr Bean, but we have real cricketing spirit…and we Pakistanis have a funny habit of bouncing back 🙂 Mr President: Congratulations. Your team played really well today.”
