Despite Pakistan losing to Zimbabwe in the T20 Cricket World Cup match on Thursday, the Pakistani Mr Bean continues to be the star of the show, with both countries joining in on the humor.
The joke started two days before the highly anticipated match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was set to take place. It all began when some Zimbabweans replied to a Twitter post by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), claiming that they ‘haven’t forgiven’ Pakistan, and will ‘settle the matter’ during the match.
“Just pray the rains will save you,” wrote Twitter user Ngugi Chasura, along with the hashtag #ZIMVSPAK.
As Zimbabweans we wont forgive you…you once gave us that Fraud Pak Bean instead of Mr Bean Rowan ..we will settle the matter tommorow just pray the rains will save you…#ZIMVSPAK
— Ngugi Chasura (@mhanduwe0718061) October 25, 2022
When a Pakistani user inquired what had happened, he revealed the cause of his anger. “They gave us Pak Bean instead of Mr Bean on one of our local events,” he wrote, which led to even more questions. What is a Pak Bean, people wondered.
They gave us Pak Bean instead of Mr Bean on one of our local events called agriculture show
— Ngugi Chasura (@mhanduwe0718061) October 25, 2022
Well, turns out, this is what a Pak Bean is. A who and not a what.
Pictured above is Muhammad Arif, a Pakistani man known for being a striking lookalike of British actor Rowan Atkinson, who famously portrayed the beloved Mr. Bean. He was invited to be part of an event in Zimbabwe in 2016, where he was quite well received, yet it seems like Zimbabweans haven’t gotten over the fact that it wasn’t the actual Mr Bean.
The dismay of Zimbabweans over being sent a Mr Bean impersonator quickly went viral, with both sides managing to find the humor in the situation, and the challenge of settling the matter of Pakistan’s ‘fraud’ being settled over the cricket match was set.
In case you're seeing tweets about Pak Bean and Mr Bean and want to know the context…here it is 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/CXX9jJqAtV
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) October 26, 2022
Following the match, after Pakistan shockingly lost to Zimbabwe by just 1 run, the heads of the two countries also took to Twitter to join in on the mirth and poke some good humored fun at each other.
Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe congratulated the Zimbabwean cricket team on Twitter and wrote, “Next time, send the real Mr Bean…”
To this, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif replied and said, “We may not have the real Mr Bean, but we have real cricketing spirit .. and we Pakistanis have a funny habit of bouncing back :)” while also congratulating the Zimbabwean president on his team’s performance.
What a win for Zimbabwe! Congratulations to the Chevrons.
Next time, send the real Mr Bean…#PakvsZim 🇿🇼
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) October 27, 2022
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. đź‘Ź https://t.co/oKhzEvU972
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 27, 2022
