No longer 'minnows': T20 World Cup shows tier-2 can step up

Back in 2016, a Pakistani comedian made an appearance at a local event in Zimbabwe impersonating the beloved comedy character Mr Bean.

- EASHAN GHOSH

The penny soon dropped that the Pakistani gentleman was not, in fact, the genuine article. The Zimbabwean organizers, presumably, were incensed.

Shortly before Zimbabwe faced Pakistan at the men's T20 World Cup, a Zimbabwean Twitter user exhumed this obscure six-year-old grievance. He swore revenge, seemingly holding all of Pakistan responsible for the counterfeit Bean. Images of the odious fraud rapidly flooded the internet, leaving cricket fans in splits.

Pak Bean was born.

In a dramatic departure from how internet jokes typically play out in real life, the Pak Bean curse came true. Pakistan were just 44 runs from victory in Perth with 7 wickets standing when Zimbabwe ambushed them with an audacious comeback. Five wickets tumbled in a frantic final sequence. Zimbabwe snatched a one-run win.

Among those celebrating the victory was Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

"Next time, send the real Mr. Bean," he tweeted.

It was a punchline every inch as memorable as Zimbabwe's performance. That Pakistan have reached the World Cup final after the Pak Bean defeat owes much to another unfancied team.

When the Netherlands faced up to South Africa last Sunday, a win was BEAN THERE, DO 'bean' joke was as Zimbabwe's in the T20 World

assumed to be South Africa's for the taking. The Netherlands, though, had other ideas. They put up 158, and then promptly turned the tournament on its ear by strangling South Africa down the stretch.