Calcutta: Wasim Akram, on Monday, said he will marry his Australian girlfriend, who has converted to Islam and will settle in his home country.

The 47-year-old legendary cricketer proposed to Shaniera Thompson, 30, a former public relations consultant from Brighton, in their lounge room, an Australian newspaper reported. “Yes, I will marry next year and I’ve known Shaniera for the last one-and-a-half years and she has converted to Islam,” Akram said. “I feel lucky that I have got a second chance in life.”

Akram’s first wife Huma died in 2009. Akram said Shaniera, a former public relations consultant, will settle in Pakistan. “She is close to my kids who are also excited and my in-laws (Huma’s parents) also endorsed the decision after meeting her,” said Akram, who has two sons from his previous marriage.

“It will be a new life, a new beginning and I hope that we will settle down well with the best wishes of family and fans,” he said.

Shaniera said Akram was nervous about proposing her in the traditional way. “It was the romantic moment of my life because it was so genuine. He was really sweet about it.”

“Then I came into the lounge room and he was on his knee and asked me if I’d marry him.”