Northern Lions became the first team to secure a place in the playoffs of the Nigeria Super League after defeating Western Dolphins by five wickets on Thursday at the TBS Cricket Oval in Lagos, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The victory was Northern Lions’ third consecutive win of the tournament, taking them to six points with two group-stage matches still left to play. Their unbeaten run has firmly established them as early title contenders in the inaugural edition of the competition.
Having already recorded victories over Southern Sharks and Central Eagles earlier in the tournament, the Lions continued their impressive form with another composed display against the Dolphins.
Western Dolphins, who won the toss and opted to bat first, struggled to build momentum against a disciplined Northern Lions bowling attack. They were eventually bowled out in 15.4 overs after losing wickets at regular intervals, managing just 83 runs and leaving the Lions with a modest target to chase.
Northern Lions responded confidently in the chase, reaching the target in just 12.2 overs while losing five wickets. Related News Nigeria to host ICC Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifiers C Nigeria football: A proud history, a broken present 2026 WTT Contender Lagos serves off
