1. Brian Lara holds several cricketing records, including the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket, with 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994, and the record for the highest individual score in an international Test innings, after scoring 400 not out at Antigua during the 4th test against England in 2004.
Brian Lara topped the Test batting rankings on several occasions, and his match-winning performance of 153 not out against Australia in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1999 was rated by Wisden the second-best batting performance in the history of Test cricket, next only to the 270 runs scored by Sir Donald Bradman in The Ashes Test match of 1937.
Brian Lara was awarded the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World awards in 1994 and 1995 and is one of only three cricketers to receive the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, the other two being Sir Garfield Sobers and Shane Warne.
In 2013, Brian Lara received Honorary Life Membership of the MCC becoming the 31st West Indian to receive the honor.
Brian Lara is popularly nicknamed as "The Prince of Port of Spain" or simply "The Prince".
Brian Lara then went to San Juan Secondary School, which is located on Moreau Road, Lower Santa Cruz.
When he was 15 years old, he played in his first West Indian under-19 youth tournament and that same year, Brian Lara represented West Indies in Under-19 cricket.
Brian Lara captained the tournament-winning Trinidad and Tobago, who profited from a match-winning 116 from Lara.
In January 1988, Brian Lara made his first-class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in the Red Stripe Cup against Leeward Islands.
In 1990, at the age of 20, Brian Lara became Trinidad and Tobago's youngest-ever captain, leading them that season to victory in the one-day Geddes Grant Shield.
Brian Lara had made his ODI debut a month earlier against Pakistan, scoring 11.
In January 1993, Brian Lara scored 277 versus Australia in Sydney.
Brian Lara went on to name his daughter Sydney after scoring 277 at the SCG.
Brian Lara has the highest individual score in both first-class cricket and Test cricket.
Brian Lara amassed his world record 501 in 474 minutes off only 427 balls.
Brian Lara's partners were Roger Twose, Trevor Penney, Paul Smith and Keith Piper.
Brian Lara is the only man to have reclaimed the Test record score, having scored 375 against England in 1994, a record that stood until Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
Brian Lara held the record for the highest total number of runs in a Test career, after overtaking Allan Border in an innings of 226 played at Adelaide Oval, Australia in November 2005.
Brian Lara captained the West Indies from 1998 to 1999, when West Indies suffered their first whitewash at the hands of South Africa.
Brian Lara won the Man of the Match award for both matches and was named Man of the Series.
In 2001 Brian Lara was named the Man of the Carlton Series in Australia with an average of 46.50, the highest average by a West Indian in that series, scoring two half centuries and one century, 116 against Australia.
Brian Lara was reappointed as captain against the touring Australians in 2003, and struck 110 in his first Test match back in charge, showing a return to stellar performance.
Brian Lara said he declined selection in a stand of solidarity, when these players were dropped because of their sponsorship deals.
Brian Lara returned to the team for the second Test, but in the process lost his captaincy indefinitely to the newly appointed Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
On 26 April 2006 Brian Lara was reappointed the captain of the West Indies cricket team for the third time.
In May 2006, Brian Lara led the West Indies to successful One-Day series victories against Zimbabwe and India.
Brian Lara's team played Australia in the finals of the DLF Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy where they finished runners up in both finals.
On 10 April 2007 Brian Lara confirmed his retirement from one-day cricket post the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Brian Lara played his final international game on 21 April 2007 in a dead rubber World Cup game against England.
Brian Lara was run out for 18 after a mix-up with Marlon Samuels; England won the game by 1 wicket.
On 19 April 2007 Brian Lara announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, indicating that the West Indies vs England match on 21 April 2007 would be his last international appearance.
Brian Lara was run out after a bad mixup with Marlon Samuels for 18, as England went on to win the match by one wicket.
Brian Lara announced before the 2007 Cricket World Cup that this would be his last appearance in One Day Internationals.
Brian Lara stated this would be his last appearance in international cricket, he has indicated his interest in retaining some involvement in the sport.
On 23 July 2007 Brian Lara agreed to sign for the Indian Cricket League.
Brian Lara is the former captain of the Mumbai Champs.
Brian Lara volunteered to play for his home team Trinidad and Tobago during the start of 2008 domestic season, after not playing for them for the previous two years.
Brian Lara made his comeback a memorable one with a match winning hundred over Guyana, followed by a dismissive undefeated half-century in the second innings, scored at over two runs per ball.
Brian Lara nevertheless affirmed his commitment to returning to Twenty20 cricket, and on 27 June 2010 appeared for the Marylebone Cricket Club match against a touring Pakistan team, scoring 37 from 32 balls.
In 2012, Brian Lara became involved with the Bangladesh Premier League team Chittagong Kings as their brand ambassador.
Brian Lara went on to score a half century in an eventual win for the MCC.
Brian Lara added 34 runs in his next two innings, but then left the competition, citing "commitments elsewhere".
In December 2021 Brian Lara was appointed as Batting Coach and Strategic Advisor of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team for the 2022 season of the Indian Premier League.
Brian Lara has two daughters with Trinidadian journalist and model Leasel Rovedas.
In 2009, Brian Lara was made an honorary Member of the Order of Australia for services to West Indian and Australian cricket.
Brian Lara received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sheffield on Wednesday 10 January 2007.
In September 2009, Brian Lara was inducted as an honorary lifetime member of the Royal St Kitts Golf Club.
On 29 October 2011 Brian Lara was conferred with an honorary doctorate of laws by the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
On 4 July 2019 Brian Lara was bestowed with an honorary doctorate by the D Y Patil International University of India.
Brian Lara has established the Pearl and Bunty Brian Lara Foundation, which is a charitable organisation in memory of his parents that aims to address health and social care issues.
Brian Lara is an Ambassador for Sport of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and travels on a diplomatic passport to promote his country throughout the world.
Brian Lara was a talented football player in his youth and often played with his friends Dwight Yorke, Shaka Hislop and Russell Latapy while growing up together in Trinidad.