The pair met more than 10 years ago when Mushtaq was touring with a Pakistan youth team which Ibadulla coached.
Ibadulla, the former Pakistan opening batsman and a long-serving Dunedin-based coach, made a lasting impression on the great spin bowler.
"I have great memories from those days.
"I had a good time with Billy and am looking forward to seeing him," Mushtaq said before the pair's reunion.
"He is a lovely chap and I learned a lot from him."
Ibadulla described it as a wonderful occasion and said though it had been more than a decade since they had seen each other, they had remained in contact.
"He kept in touch with me when he started to play test matches and I followed his career through the newspapers and so on."
Some of the players became quite homesick during the tour so to keep them motivated and inspired Ibadulla showed them a Rocky movie.
Mushtaq told Ibadulla he remembered the Rocky session fondly as the pair sat chatting and drinking tea.
"Until [yesterday] I didn't know that movie had made such an impact on him.
"Apparently, it helped inspire him to go on and achieve the great things that he did," Ibadulla said.
Mushtaq is the Black Caps' not-so-secret weapon.
He joined the side for the world twenty/20 tournament in June to help the New Zealand batsmen prepare their defence against spin bowling.
He will remain with the side ahead of the second test in Wellington next month and will then return home.
He has been the object of a few good-natured jibes from the Pakistan team but said it was an honour to work with the New Zealand team.
Mushtaq played 49 tests and took 208 wickets at an average of 29.83.
