Mumbai, March 16: The Baroda Bomber has bowled over the Mumbai Tiger. Shiv Sena leaders said Bal Thackeray was “really moved” when he heard that Zaheer Khan stood up for him in Pakistan and told the media there that the Sena patriarch was a “misunderstood” man.

Thackeray was so overwhelmed that during a public function today, he gushed “main aaj ye zahir kar sakta hoon ki mujhe Zaheer pe fakr hai (I can announce openly today that I am proud of Zaheer)”.

The Sena leaders said the Baroda pacer’s statement caught the stridently anti-Pakistan leader by surprise. “Bahut bhawuk ho gaye saheb (he became very emotional),” one of them said.

“As it is, no famous star has said such things about Balasaheb…. They think it is beneath their dignity to support the Shiv Sena. But Zaheer goes out and says such lovely things (about Thackeray) in Pakistan. It means a lot when a cricketer who is the heart-throb of millions says it in a foreign country. Balasaheb was very happy because it has never happened before.’’

Saamna, the Sena mouthpiece, has reproduced the entire interview given to Pakistani daily The Dawn on its front page with a huge colour photograph of the pacer. The story got a half-page display.

At the inauguration of the Ayurveda Treatment Centre in suburban Andheri, Thackeray, when asked what he thought of the cricketer’s vote of confidence, said: “I have to express my gratitude to him. He is a real Indian, a real Hindustani Muslim. I must also confess that I am indeed proud that we have people like him. We need more boys like Zaheer.”

In the interview, Zaheer had told Pakistani journalists that there was absolutely no fear for Muslims in India or from Thackeray. “The Sena chief is not against Muslims…. It is certain vested interests that are bent upon tarnishing his image,” the bowler said, adding that patriotic Muslims had no problems with either Thackeray or the activities of the Sena.

Going a step further, Zaheer said Thackeray was a secular leader, though highly misunderstood. Only those indulging in subversive activities were opposed to the party, he said.

Thackeray’s effusive praise for Zaheer did not leave those who had accompanied him at the inauguration untouched. Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, Rashmi Thackeray, Smita Thackeray and actors Om Puri and Alok Nath smiled broadly when they saw that the Sena chief couldn’t contain his happiness.

Zaheer certainly won’t have to worry about a ticket, if he wants one, when he retires.