Wiaan Mulder makes history With a record-breaking triple century.
South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder has continued to rewrite cricketing history on the second day of his team’s second Test match against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo.
After scoring a staggering 264 runs on the first day, Mulder etched his name into Test cricket history by becoming the first captain ever to score a triple century and doing so almost faster than anyone before him.
His triple ton came in just 297 balls, with only Virender Sehwag ever reaching 300 faster, with his famous 278-ball blitz against South Africa in 2008.
Wiaan Mulder’s innings was as ruthless as it was historic. He brought up his double hundred in just 214 balls—South Africa’s second-fastest behind Herschelle Gibbs’ 211-ball double in 2003—and maintained a blistering tempo throughout.
He struck 41 fours and three sixes, the most boundaries combined in a single Test innings by a South African, surpassing Graeme Smith’s record from his career-best 277.
This was not simply an inning of personal brilliance; it was a performance that rewrote the record books on multiple fronts:
- First captain in Test history to score a triple century.
- Second-fastest triple century in Tests (297 balls), behind only Sehwag.
- Most runs by a captain in his debut Test as leader.
- Most runs ever scored by a South African captain in an innings.
- Highest individual score by a South African against Zimbabwe, beating Gary Kirsten’s 220 in 2001.
- Second-highest individual score on the first day of a Test (only Don Bradman’s 309 was higher).
- 7th-highest score ever made batting at No. 3 in Test cricket with a chance to move up.
- Highest score by a South African in Test cricket.
- Most runs by a South African batter in a single day’s play (264).
Among the rare 250-plus Test innings played at a strike rate exceeding 100. Beyond the personal milestones, Wiaan Mulder’s knock has powered South Africa to a colossal 549/5 at the time of writing.
As the innings goes on, Wiaan Mulder will have his sights set on the 400-run mark that remains the gold standard in Test cricket.
