Yeah, was a cricket obsessive way before we got test status.
If you're wondering about Deshi fans generally; no most people weren't particularly passionate about cricket. It was a football country with cricket as an established second sport with a solid following, but a long way behind football for mainstream popularity and recognisability.
Qualifying for the 99 World Cup, hosting the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 99 (equivalent to the latter day Champions Trophy) and then test status pretty much reversed that state of affairs overnight though.
Might need
@AndyZaltzHair to confirm though seeing as he was actually there after I moved away in 1994.