He was introduced to cricket at the Lahore Gymkhana Club by his elder brother, and was attracted by the aesthetic beauty of the game.
[8] On a flat Oval pitch in 1960 Ibadulla scored an unbeaten 170 for Warwickshire against Surrey, and put on 377 with Norman Horner for the first wicket on the first day, then the highest unbroken opening partnership in cricket history.
[10] He declined an invitation to go on the subsequent tours of Australia and New Zealand, as the Pakistan authorities were unable to offer him the professional rates he was accustomed to,[12] and he spent the time playing for Otago[citation needed] and coaching.
[citation needed] Ibadulla holds the record of playing most first-class games (217) before making a Test debut for Pakistan.
[15] Ibadulla coached some of New Zealand's top cricketers, including Glenn Turner, Ken Rutherford and Chris Cairns.
[citation needed] He was member of the BBC Radio commentary team for Test Match Special when Pakistan toured England in 1974.