Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe in the second match of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup on Thursday. The team suffered a crushing defeat against arch-rivals India in their opening match, and their semi-final hopes suffered a major blow after losing to Zimbabwe. Despite restricting Zimbabwe to 130/8, the side failed to chase down the target, falling short of runs.’
However, before the game, social media saw a very funny build-up to the game thanks to a fake ‘Mr Bean’. This Pakistani man traveled to Zimbabwe in 2016 impersonating Rowan Atkinson; however, many locals believed him to be the original character. When Pakistan and Zimbabwe meet in the T20 World Cup six years from now, a Zimbabwean fan has said the side will “take revenge” for sending an impersonator to Pakistan.
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When Pakistan lost the match, Twitter was flooded with memes referencing the Mr. Bean incident, with even the president and prime minister of Zimbabwe and Pakistan reacting accordingly. As Emmerson Mnangagwa congratulated Zimbabwe on their victory, he threw shade at Pakistan, writing, “Next time send the real beans…”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif replied, “We may not have a real Mr. Bean, but we have a real cricketing spirit… and we Pakistanis have a habit of bouncing back 🙂 Mr. President: Congratulations. Your team played very well today.”
Now the fake Mr. Bin – Asif Muhammad – has broken the silence surrounding all the hysteria.
In an interview, he said that he was very happy to be discussed by public figures on social networks.
“I am a duplicate, but if the President of Zimbabwe and the Prime Minister of Pakistan can talk about what I wished for each other after Zimbabwe’s victory, my goal of making the world laugh will be fulfilled. For me, there was a bit of humor after Pakistan lost. What more can I ask for?” Muhammad told The Indian Express.
“When businessmen Muhammad Arif and Muhammad Anees discussed the idea of having me as a brand ambassador at an exhibition in Harare, I was very excited. Meeting the children in the markets and streets of Harare and seeing them believe that I was the real Mr. Bean was my greatest achievement of that trip. Many Indians used to meet me at Anees’ residence and ask for autographs and selfies. Pakistan se duss guna zyada hospitality hui thi (Hospitality was ten times more than in Pakistan), said a resident of Karachi.