Middle-Belt Tigers Finish Top as Nigeria Super League Round Robin Stage Ends

May 28, 2026 news-admin 0 Comments

Oru Leonard

The round robin stage of the Nigeria Super League concluded in thrilling fashion after weeks of high-intensity T20 cricket action at the TBS Cricket Oval in Lagos, with teams battling fiercely for places in the decisive Elimination Stage.

The competition delivered exciting encounters, dramatic finishes, outstanding individual performances, and increasing competitiveness across all participating teams as the inaugural edition continued to elevate the standard of domestic cricket in Nigeria.

The final round robin fixture saw Middle-Belt Tigers produce a commanding all-round performance to defeat Northern Lions by 61 runs and secure top spot on the league standings heading into the Elimination Stage.

After Northern Lions won the toss and elected to field, Middle-Belt Tigers posted an impressive 150/3 in 20 overs, powered by a brilliant batting display from Solomon Chilemanya, who scored 49 runs off 33 balls, while Olaleye Olayinka Elijah remained unbeaten on 42 from 31 deliveries. Captain Runsewe Sulaimon also contributed a valuable 35 runs to steady the innings.

Northern Lions struggled in response and were bowled out for 89 in 16.2 overs despite Hosanna Omokhobhio’s fighting 34 runs. The Middle-Belt Tigers bowling attack proved too strong, with Eghosa Aghedo Destiny and Elochukwu Ndubudem both claiming three wickets each to seal a dominant victory.

The result confirmed Middle-Belt Tigers as round robin table toppers after winning four of their five matches to finish with eight points and a net run rate of 0.824.

Southern Sharks, Northern Lions, and Central Eagles also secured qualification for the Elimination Stage after finishing in the top four positions.

Final Round Robin Standings
Middle-Belt Tigers – 8 pts
Southern Sharks – 6 pts
Northern Lions – 6 pts
Central Eagles – 6 pts
Eastern Elephants – 4 pts
Western Dolphins – 0 pts

The battle for qualification remained open until the final round of matches, underlining the competitiveness and growing quality of cricket within the Nigeria Super League.

Several memorable moments defined the round robin phase, including:
Middle-Belt Tigers defeating Northern Lions by 61 runs in the final group match.

Southern Sharks securing a crucial 35-run victory over Eastern Elephants to strengthen their playoff hopes.
Eastern Elephants edging Western Dolphins by five wickets in one of the tournament’s closely contested fixtures.
Central Eagles recording a thrilling one-run victory over Middle-Belt Tigers.

Northern Lions producing a dominant 50-run win against Central Eagles.
Southern Sharks posting the highest total of the round robin stage with 176/7 against Western Dolphins.

Top Five Batters – Round Robin Stage
Solomon Chilemanya (Middle-Belt Tigers) – 145 Runs | Avg: 29.00 | SR: 136.79
Danladi Isaac (Southern Sharks) – 144 Runs | Avg: 72.00 | SR: 129.73
Selim Salau (Central Eagles) – 134 Runs | Avg: 26.80 | SR: 128.85
Olaleye Olayinka Elijah (Middle-Belt Tigers) – 119 Runs | Avg: 119.00 | SR: 99.17
Kenneth Boniface (Southern Sharks) – 110 Runs | Avg: 36.67 | SR: 159.42
Top Five Bowlers – Round Robin Stage
Elochukwu Ndubudem (Middle-Belt Tigers) – 9 Wickets | Economy: 5.28 | Avg: 10.56

MVP Leaderboard
Danladi Isaac (Southern Sharks) – 30.061 pts
Okpe Sylvester (Northern Lions) – 24.914 pts
Isesele Odion Evangel (Southern Sharks) – 21.106 pts
Eghosa Aghedo Destiny (Middle-Belt Tigers) – 19.639 pts
Solomon Chilemanya (Middle-Belt Tigers) – 18.782 pts

With the round robin phase now completed, attention now shifts to the Elimination Stage where Middle-Belt Tigers, Southern Sharks, Northern Lions, and Central Eagles will continue their quest for the Nigeria Super League title.

Upcoming Fixtures
Thursday, 28 May 2026
Elimination 1: Middle-Belt Tigers vs Southern Sharks CC
Elimination 2: Northern Lions vs Central Eagles CC
Zeal Ibe
Media Manager
Nigeria Cricket Federation

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