PBKS vs RCB Qualifier 1: Kohli's bumper season with bat ignites IPL 2016 memories for Bengaluru

It was in 2016 that Virat Kohli scored 973 runs in the season but Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) still failed to win the IPL title. Nine years on, RCB are having one of their best seasons and Kohli is again leading in run scoring for them.

Kohli currently has 602 runs after 14 league stage games - the fifth most and 77 behind orange cap leader Sai Sudharsan's 679. This is the fifth time Kohli has 600+ runs in an IPL season - the most for any player in history.

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The batter has also crossed 9K runs for RCB for which he has been playing since IPL's inception back in 2008. Kohli is in great touch this season - having hit eight fifties in 14 innings which are the most for any batter.

Kohli's runs have come at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 148 with a best of 73 not out which came against Punjab Kings and they face the same team in Qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29).

Kohli's success with the bat has translated into RCB's result as well. The Rajat Patidar-led team finished second on the points table after the league stage with 18 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses.

This is one of the best years RCB are having as they look forward to end the title drought which has been going on for 18 years.

The winner of the RCB vs PBKS will move directly into the final which is set to be played on June 3 while the loser will get another opportunity to make it to the final by playing in the Qualifier 2 - the perk of finishing in the top two.

The losing team of Qualifier 1 will play the winner of MI vs GT Eliminator game (May 30) in Qualifier 2 on June 1.