Having grown up in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Liyema spent most of his childhood playing football. After being introduced to cricket, his life would change. He received scholarships to attend Newlands Cricket High School and also South African College High School (SACS).

The young left-arm bowler made his First Class debut for Western Province whilst still at school and only 17 years old. He now has a High Performance contract with Western Provence and continues to study at the University of the Western Cape.

His achievements include representing the SA schools team in both 2021 and 2022. He has also played for the South African Emerging side.