Northern Lions became the first team to book 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.

The victory marked Northern Lions’ third consecutive win of the tournament, taking the team to six points with two group-stage matches still remaining.

The Lions had earlier secured victories over Southern Sharks and Central Eagles, strengthening their position as one of the leading contenders in the inaugural edition of the competition.

After winning the toss, Western Dolphins elected to bat first but struggled against the disciplined Northern Lions bowling unit.

The Dolphins were bowled out for 83 runs in 15.4 overs after losing wickets consistently throughout the innings, leaving themselves with a modest total to defend.

Akhere Isele starred with the ball for Northern Lions, claiming four wickets in a dominant bowling performance.

In response, Northern Lions chased down the target in just 12.2 overs despite losing five wickets along the way.

Elijah Jimmy led the batting effort with an impressive 40 runs from 32 balls as the Lions completed another confident victory to maintain their unbeaten record.

The result leaves Western Dolphins under increasing pressure after suffering earlier defeats against Middle-Belt Tigers and Southern Sharks.

Northern Lions still have group-stage fixtures against Eastern Elephants and Middle-Belt Tigers as they aim to finish top of the standings heading into the knockout stage.

Meanwhile, Western Dolphins will now look to revive their playoff hopes in their remaining matches as the Nigeria Super League continues to gather momentum at the TBS Cricket Oval in Lagos.