He played a first-class match in 1969-70 at the age of 15 purely as a batsman, and another in 1970-71 as a wicket-keeper, without batting in either.
In his second match of the 1971-72 season, opening and keeping wicket for Karachi Whites, he made 45 and 107 not out.
He had his best season with the bat in 1980-81, when in nine matches he made 645 runs at an average of 40.31, with two centuries.
[2] He made his highest score of 179 for Karachi against Railways, when he put on 418 for the first wicket with Khalid Alvi.
[3] In 1982-83 Najamuddin made 10 dismissals (nine caught, one stumped) in Karachi's victory over Lahore City.