India, March 15 -- Whenever I am happy or sad about a cricket result, I ask this existential question: How does a cricket result matter to me? It's a pure intangible. It doesn't improve my standard of living, help my status in society, or make me achieve any of my life goals. Why am I so invested in this?

Twenty-nine years ago, on March 13, a kid was standing before the gods in the pooja ghar, wishing his team would chase down a score of 251. It was the World Cup semi-final. Venkatesh Prasad had just given us a once-in-a-generation-high, by showing a cocky Aamir Sohail the way to the pavilion after taking his off-stump for an evening walk in the quarter-final. The stage was set to bring the second World Cup home. The kid, who was still l...