Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray on Tuesday expressed gratitude to cricketer Zaheer Khan for describing him as a secular leader.

In an interview to Pakistan's leading newspaper Dawn, the cricketer had said that the Sena chief is not against Muslims and lamented that certain vested interests were bent upon tarnishing his image by describing him as 'anti-Muslim'.

Zaheer had also told the Pakistan media that patriotic Muslims in India had no differences with Thackeray or the Shiv Sena. Only those indulging in subversive activities were opposed to the saffron party, he said.

The interview was carried by Sena's newspaper Saamna.