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Wiaan Mulder was batting on 367 runs from 334 balls when he decided to declare the South African innings instead of taking a chance to break Brian Lara’s world record of 400 runs.
AB de Villiers blasts Wiaan Mulder for not breaking Brian Lara’s record. (Picture Credit: X/@ProteasMenCSA and AFP)
South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder was batting on 367 runs from 334 balls in the first innings of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on July 7, 2025. He had a chance to enter his name in the history books by breaking Brian Lara’s world record of scoring 400 runs in an innings of a Test match. But when everyone was bracing themselves to see the world record being broken, Mulder stunned everyone by declaring South Africa’s innings.
His decision to end the South African innings and invite Zimbabwe to bat sent shockwaves around the world, and many greats of the game criticised his decision.
Mulder, while speaking to Shaun Pollock at the end of the day’s play, explained the reason for his declaration by saying that he felt the record should remain with a legend like Lara, who achieved the feat against a strong England team.
“You never know what is destined for me, but Brian Lara keeping that record (of the highest score in Tests) is exactly the way it should be,” Mulder said.
“I thought we got enough from the new ball, and secondly, Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 against England – for someone of that stature, to keep that record is pretty special. I think if I get the chance again, I will probably do the same thing.”
“Speaking to Shuks (Shukri Conrad), he kind of said to me, ‘Alright, listen, let the legends keep the really big scores,'” he added.
Reacting to the ‘legend’ remark by Mulder, South African great AB de Villiers slammed Mulder and said on his way to the 367-run mark, he broke the record of legends like Kumar Sangakkara, and if he feels he really cares about legends, then are Sangakkara and others not legends?
While speaking on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast, when asked about Mulder’s declaration by Moeen Ali, De Villiers said, “I think he should have (broken Lara’s record). I mean, I didn’t quite agree with the comments afterwards where he was talking about the legends must have the records. But he passed a lot of legends just for the last 20 runs he got. Sangakkara’s, guys like that. I’m like, ‘Oh, they’re not legends or what?'”
“No, he’s never going to get that opportunity (to break Lara’s record) again. Just go get it. Doesn’t matter who it’s against or where it is. They still won the Test match. That’s the most important thing,” he added.
September 06, 2025, 13:47 IST
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