Wiaan Mulder

Some Lesser Known Facts About Wiaan Mulder

• Wiaan Mulder was interested in sports and played cricket and rugby while growing up.

• At the age of 7, he broke his arm while riding an off-road motorcycle.

• When the arm cast was removed, he went to play a cricket match. His father watched him play, was impressed by his dedication, and decided to support his dream of playing cricket.

• His father made a pitch in the backyard, set up bowling machines and floodlights so that he could practice anytime they wanted.

  

• His father later also completed a Level 1 coaching course from Cricket South Africa so that he could help his sons with techniques.

• He later became the captain of the cricket and rugby teams of his school, but later chose cricket.

  

• He also played international cricket for South Africa. However, he couldn’t perform well and was dropped soon after.

  

• Whenever he got time, he played for Dobsonville Cricket Club in Soweto, an area designated by the local government for black people.

• He was the highest wicket-taker for South Africa in the Under-19 World Cup in 2016.

• During his late teenage years, he worked with a biokineticist named Andrew Gray, and his wife Janine, a researcher with a PhD in lower back pain in adolescent fast bowlers. It helped him correct his bowling posture and avoid injuries.

• In 2018, he injured his right Achilles tendon during the ODI series against Zimbabwe.

• In August 2021, he signed a sponsorship deal with the New Balance sports equipment manufacturing brand.

  

• In 2022, he signed a deal for 2 seasons with Leicestershire in domestic cricket in England.

  

• He scored his first test international century with 105 runs not out against Bangladesh in October 2024.

• In November 2024, he was ruled out of the test series against Sri Lanka after fracturing the middle finger of his right hand.

  

• In the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, he went unsold for his base price of Rs 75 lakh.

• He later replaced the English cricketer Brydon Carse in the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) team for Rs 75 lakh.

  

• In January 2025, he said in an interview that he was unable to perform during his first stint in international cricket due to mental health issues.

• On 21 February 2025, while playing against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy, he dived to stop the bowl and suffered a cut which bled heavily, but he refused to come off the field and continued playing.

• He later worked with Australian cricketer Shane Watson while playing in Major League Cricket (MLC) which gave him confidence to play freely.

  

• His wife, Justine Paige Mulder, offers online counselling sessions on her online website, JW Counselling.

  

• He is an animal lover and has a pet dog.

  

• He is popular for his dominant front foot while batting with a strong bottom hand.