• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Ashes 2023 Mark Wood Strikes Again With Barben Heimer Graphic Prank On Skipper Ben Stokes

Ashes 2023 | Mark Wood Strikes Again With 'BarBEN-HEIMER' Graphic Prank on Skipper Ben Stokes

image-lkkzodffMark Wood is gaining quite a reputation as a prankster

The much anticipated fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test is creating significant buzz, and it's not just about cricket. England's speedster, Mark Wood had enlivened the pre-match press conference with a prank on his captain, Ben Stokes. 

Stokes starred in Wood's BarBEN-HEIMER prank

The lanky pacer was at it once again on Thursday as he pulled another prank on Stokes which was revealed by the skipper himself.

Capitalizing on the global 'Barbenheimer' fever - a buzzword born from the highly-anticipated releases of Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer with Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., Wood masterminded a cinematic-themed prank.

On Thursday, an Instagram story posted by Stokes showed Wood, wearing an evil grin, sitting in front of a broadcast screen. The screen displayed a graphic of Stokes and Australian captain, Pat Cummins.

Interestingly, the backdrop to Stokes' image was a mix of pink and blue with 'Barbie' written in the middle, hinting at the Barbie movie. In contrast, Cummins' image was styled in black and white, invoking the sombre Oppenheimer film.

Wood's prankish creativity was further revealed in the clever play on words. 'BarBENHEIMER' was artfully incorporated into the graphic, with 'BEN' - a nod to the English skipper's first name - aligned with Stokes' image and 'HEIMER' alongside Cummins' photo. The English all-rounder seemed to have enjoyed the prank as he tagged Wood in his Instagram story.


Notably, on the eve of the fifth Ashes 2023 Test in London, as Stokes began his pre-match briefing, the catchy tune of Aqua’s 1997 pop hit 'Barbie Girl' unexpectedly filled the room. A good sport, Stokes managed to keep a blank face before accurately identifying the culprit, Wood, much to the amusement of the journalists present.

The closing note to this unique prank unfolded as Stokes concluded his press conference and stood up to leave. The pacer reprised the prank, this time with a contrasting theme, by playing The Imperial March by composer John Williams – better known as Darth Vader's signature tune in the Star Wars saga.