What happenned? On the game eve, when official handle of Pakistan Cricket posted training pictures, a purportedly Zimbabwean handle Ngugi Chasura replied, “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” Blimey. I didn't realise Pakistan vs Zimbabwe was a grudge match and for good reason pic.twitter.com/wtllENSZnl — Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) October 26, 2022 When a Pakistani fan asks him to explain, he 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”. Whether the episodes of cheating were true or apocryphal, that post went viral when Zimbabwe beat Pakistan. A fake Mr Bean was once paid to come and perform in Zimbabwe in 2016. pic.twitter.com/IrM5pfqcoH — ApexNewsZim (@ApexNewsZim) February 3, 2021 Is there a fake Mr Bean? Yes, his name is Asif Muhammad, a Pakistan comedian who can pose as a doppelgänger for the real Mr Bean. What did Zimbabwean President say? In plausibly the most epic sports-related tweet by any sitting president in the planet, the Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa got into the Pak Bean episode with this gem: “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" 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. 👏 — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 27, 2022 Was there a response from Pakistan prime minister? Oh yes. Not as funny, but here you go, this is what he 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 :) Mr President: Congratulations. Your team played really well today.” He even had the luxury of a police escort. pic.twitter.com/3IveDi6ANb — ApexNewsZim (@ApexNewsZim) February 3, 2021 What did Shahid Afridi say? The hilarious viral meme was brought up on a show at Samaa TV where Shahid Afridi was a panelist. The host reminded Afridi that he had acted in an advertisement with the fake Mr Bean in Pakistan. “Yes, yes I remember,” Afridi said with a smile. “He totally looks like him. I was completely confused (“Bilkul waise hi hai yaar. Mein toh confuse ho gaya Kasam sey!”) Afridi said. And when the host explained the viral war and said that the Pakistani Mr Bean allegedly some shows in Zimbabwe as the real one, Afridi said with a smile, “If he has made money, then it’s his talent, hai na yaar!” What was the ad with Afridi? It’s an old ad where Afridi is at a venue where one of his international bats are being showcased. Enter Mr Bean, Pak version. In the inimitable style of the original, he sneezes and messes up Afridi’s signature from the original exhibit. He then pulls out a fake bat, gets Afridi’s signature, and replaces it in the exhibit when Afridi catches him.
