Pak Mr. Bean Reacts As Leaders of Zimbabwe, Pakistan Indulge In Twitter Banter Over Him
Pakistani Mr. Bean became one of the most talked-about topics on social media after Zimbabwe defeated Babar Azam & Co. in the T20 World Cup 2022 Group 2 match. The man himself, Asif Muhammad, has broken his silence on the topic.
Pakistan's match against Zimbabwe wasn't just a cricketing battle on the pitch but also a 'revenge mission' for the fans of the African side. Ahead of the match, Zimbabwe fans had called for revenge after Pakistan gave them 'Fake Mr. Bean'. As Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 1 run in the T20 World Cup, even the state heads of the two countries mentioned the 'Pak Mr. Bean', further intensifying the chatter around the topic.
As has been reported, a doppelganger of Rowan Atkinson, who popularised the character of Mr. Bean, was sent to Zimbabwe while some fans believed that he was the original Mr. Bean. As reality came to the fore, many hearts were left broken.
But, Zimbabwe fans termed their team's win over Pakistan as 'revenge' for the 'Pak Mr. Bean' episode. Soon after, the President of Zimbabwe mentioned the episode as he congratulated his team on the win, prompting a reply from the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
We may not have the real Mr Bean, but we have real cricketing spirit .. and we Pakistanis have a funny habit of bouncing back :)
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 27, 2022
Mr President: Congratulations. Your team played really well today. https://t.co/oKhzEvU972
Now, the man himself who posed as Mr. Bean, Asif Muhammad, has broken his silence on the matter.
Speaking to Indian Express, Asif said: "I am a duplicate but if the Zimbabwe President and Pakistan PM can talk about me wishing each other after Zimbabwe's win, my motive of making the world laugh is fulfilled. There was some light-hearted banter after Pakistan's loss because of me. What more can I ask for?"
"When the businessmen Muhammad Arif and Muhammad Anees discussed the idea of having me as the brand ambassador in the exhibition in Harare, I was delighted. To meet kids in markets and streets in Harare and seeing them believe I was the real Mr Bean was my biggest earning from that trip. A lot of Indians would also come to meet me at the residence of Anees and would ask me for autographs and selfies. Pakistan se duss guna zyada hospitality hui thi (The hospitality was ten times more than I get in Pakistan)," Asif revealed.
Asif also revealed that he was once told that Rowan Atkinson was happy seeing him enact his character.
Pakistan Cricket Team
Zimbabwe Cricket Team