South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder has etched his name into history with a jaw-dropping unbeaten 367 in the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. However, Wiaan Mulder was snatched with the opportunity to reach that incredible 400-run mark.
With the Proteas declaring their first innings at a mammoth 626/5, Wiaan Mulder failed to overtake Brian Lara’s historic 400*, as he had to settle as South Africa’s highest-ever individual scorer in Test cricket. He remained unbeaten at 367 off 334 balls, laced with 49 boundaries and 4 sixes against Zimbabwe.
The 27-year-old all-rounder smashed records with elegance and brutality, surpassing Hashim Amla’s iconic 311* to register the highest ever score for South Africa and also becoming only the seventh player in history to cross the 350-run mark in Test cricket.
Additionally, Wiaan Mulder also overtook Graeme Smith’s record for the most runs by a South African in a single Test match, which was 362 runs (277 & 85) set against England in 2003. He also recorded the highest individual score in an away test, surpassing Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad’s 337 in 1958.
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On a flat surface in Bulawayo, Mulder punished every loose delivery and achieved several records. The right-handed batter had the opportunity to score the quadruple century and even overtake the West Indies legend Brian Lara to add a new chapter to the game’s history.
But the South African team management didn’t care about Mulder’s milestone and declared their innings at 626/5. The Proteas left Mulder stranded on 367*, just 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s world record. The move didn’t go down well with the fans, who blasted the team management as well as captain Mulder’s decision as “idiotic” and “shocking.”
Here's how fans react to South Africa's decision to declare before Wiaan Mulder getting 400:
Surely, Mulder got a threatening call from Brian Lara, only explanation I can think of. I mean, Zimbabwe surely isn’t chasing this in two straight innings.
— nunya-beejwax (@nunyabeejwax) July 7, 2025Phone call from Lara made Mulder declare the innings.
— DS (@dungarjal_ds) July 7, 2025WHY ?Wow, this is shocking! The one and only chance you will ever get in your life to set the record of all records, with all the time in the world to still get a result, and you declare I'm shocked!!! This horrible decision will overshadow his achievement forever. ??♂️
— Mzala (@uMzala_SA) July 7, 2025Who the hell took this shit hole decision? ?If it's mulder That's so unselfish broooo
— Phenomenal (@PhenomenalTooOP) July 7, 2025Who the hell even made this decision. This is soo poor. So so poor from everyone involved. What did the West Indies Cricket board offer you guys like millions of Dollars or something. This is the worst cricketing decision I have ever seen.
— Surajh Rambaran (@KungfuMino9) July 7, 2025NO WAY!! Absolute shocker!!
— Saad Butt (@CricBellz) July 7, 2025??? 34 runs short of the world record?Might be the "dumbest" thing i've seen in cricket.
— BETaWAY (@RoundHouseBet) July 7, 2025Why not go for the 400 ? Stupid own goal. There was more than enough time in this game. South Africa could have done with holding the record of the highest individual score. Low IQ decision yet again
— Jacques (@jacque0001) July 7, 2025This is unbelievably stupid
— Neal Gardner (@Nealbackup) July 7, 2025Scoring 400 is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. Why would you declare at that point?
— Likhitha_raavi (@RaaviLikhitha) July 7, 2025Chutiyagiri
— Prath (@Prath9K) July 7, 2025Whaaat??? Why
— Ryan (@_One___Love____) July 7, 2025Nooo. You should have allowed bro to reach 400 pic.twitter.com/wjJi5SYFQu
— KangTheConquer? (@Tinkzilli) July 7, 2025Bad call of declaration!
— Sourabh Sanyal ?? (@sourabhsanyal) July 7, 2025⚠️ Very very very strange decision.But salute to the selfless Wiaan Mulder, very few players in the history of cricket would have courage to do this and he is one of them.Oh MULDER ❤️???!! pic.twitter.com/DlnxeXAybI
— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) July 7, 2025Lhuan-dre Pretorius to miss fielding duties on Day 2
Meanwhile, young South African batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius will not take the field due to a soft tissue injury to his right wrist, which he picked up while batting on Day 1 in Bulawayo. However, the officials have confirmed that he is available to bat in the second innings if required against Zimbabwe.
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Well, apart from Mulder’s record-breaking knock, David Bedingham and Lhuan-dre Pretorius also played impressive knocks. While Bedingham made 82 runs off 101 balls studded with seven boundaries, Pretorius continued his form with 78 runs off 87 balls with the help of seven boundaries and three sixes to help the Proteas side post a mammoth total on the board.
In reply, Zimbabwe had a poor start as the hosts lost three wickets for just 15 runs.
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