| Full Name | Aliya Riaz |
| Age | 33 |
| Date of Birth | 24 September 1992 |
| Birthplace | Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Batting Style | Right Handed Bat |
| Bowling Style | Right Arm Medium Pace |
| Playing Role | Allrounder |
| Jersey Number | T20I No.37 |
| Husband | Ali Younis (cricket commentator, brother of Waqar Younis) |
| Religion | Islam |
| ODI Debut | 23 August 2014 — vs Australia, Brisbane (Cap 70) |
| T20I Debut | August 2014 — vs Australia |
| ODI Best Bat | 81 vs South Africa |
| T20I Best Bat | 57* vs South Africa, Benoni (2019) |
| Domestic Best | 156* — National Women’s Championship 2014 |
| Format | M | Inn | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 86 | 76 | 1,681 | 81 | 25.46 | 66.57 | 0 | 10 | 160 | 22 |
| T20I | 111 | 95 | 1,379 | 57* | 20.89 | 99.49 | 0 | 2 | 129 | 28 |
M: Matches Inn: Innings HS: Highest Score Avg: Average SR: Strike Rate
| Format | M | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 86 | 12 | 2/24 | 77.08 | 5.44 | 85.0 |
| T20I | 111 | 20 | 2/16 | 31.50 | 7.94 | 23.8 |
M: Matches Wkts: Wickets BBI: Best Bowling Avg: Average Econ: Economy SR: Strike Rate
Source: ESPNCricinfo · Updated June 2026
Aliya Riaz is one of the most experienced and dependable players in Pakistan women’s cricket. Born on 24 September 1992 in Rawalpindi, she is a right-handed batter who bowls right-arm medium pace and has been a fixture in Pakistan’s white-ball sides across more than a decade of international cricket. What makes her story particularly compelling is that she almost never played cricket at all. Growing up in Rawalpindi she was just as good at badminton and had to make a choice between the two sports in college. She chose cricket. Pakistan women’s cricket has been grateful for that decision ever since.
Her entry into the game came through an impressive power-hitting performance at her Under-19 trials, which earned her a spot in the Rawalpindi regional side. She later relocated to Lahore, where her game developed further.
The moment that truly announced her was in 2014, when she struck an unbeaten 156 for Lahore Women in the National Women’s Cricket Championship, one of the highest individual scores in that competition at the time. The innings was so impressive that it fast-tracked her into the Pakistan senior side. She made both her ODI and T20I debuts against Australia in August of that same year, receiving her 70th ODI cap for Pakistan.
The 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 in the West Indies was her standout tournament with the ball. She was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker, taking six dismissals in four matches as Pakistan made it through the group stage. That ability to break partnerships and bowl with control in pressure situations made her a genuine two-way threat and cemented her place as Pakistan’s most important allrounder in women’s cricket for years that followed.
Her T20I best of 57 not out came against South Africa in Benoni in May 2019, in a match that ended in a tie. She won the Player of the Match award for her efforts, an innings that showed the kind of clutch performance she was capable of when Pakistan needed someone to stand tall. In January 2024 she scored a domestic T20 century for Rawalpindi, a knock of 100 not out that helped them reach 182 for 4 and earned her the Player of the Day award.
On 23 May 2024 she played in the first women’s ODI between England and Pakistan in Derby and took the wicket of Heather Knight.
Off the field, Aliya Riaz married Ali Younis in April 2024 at a private farmhouse on Barki Road in Lahore. Ali, a cricket commentator and the younger brother of Pakistan’s legendary fast bowling captain Waqar Younis, brought the cricketing world together at the celebration. Several prominent figures from Pakistan cricket attended the wedding.
She is currently ranked 47th in ICC Women’s ODI batting and 49th in T20I batting. She remains part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans heading into the England 2026 edition and continues to be a senior voice and experienced performer in the Pakistan women’s dressing room.
Aliya Riaz married Ali Younis in April 2024 at a private farmhouse on Barki Road in Lahore. Ali Younis is a Pakistani cricket commentator and the younger brother of former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Waqar Younis. The wedding was attended by several leading figures from Pakistan cricket and was described as a warm celebration within the cricketing community.
Aliya Riaz’s highest T20I score is 57 not out against South Africa in Benoni in May 2019, a match that ended in a tie and in which she won the Player of the Match award. Her highest ODI score is 81. In domestic cricket her highest score is 156 not out, scored for Lahore Women in the 2014 National Women’s Cricket Championship, the innings that earned her her first senior Pakistan call-up.
Aliya’s exact height has not been officially confirmed by the PCB or any verified source. Based on publicly available photos and comparisons with other Pakistan players, she is estimated to stand around 5 feet 4 inches tall, though this figure is not confirmed. She is a medium-build right-handed batter and medium-pace allrounder.
Aliya follows Islam, the majority faith in Pakistan. She has not made specific religious affiliation a public part of her cricketing identity, but like most Pakistani cricketers she practices the Islamic faith as part of her personal life.
As of June 2026, Aliya has not publicly confirmed having any children. She married Ali Younis in April 2024 and has kept her personal family life private. No verified information about children is available from any official or credible source.
As of June 2026, Aliya is ranked 47th in ICC Women’s ODI batting and 49th in ICC Women’s T20I batting. She has been a consistent presence in Pakistan’s white-ball squads across multiple ICC tournaments and remains one of the senior allrounders in the Pakistan women’s setup heading into the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
