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Fortuin Warns Proteas Not to Underestimate Namibia Ahead of ODI Series
South Africa captain Bjorn Fortuin says he expects another closely fought contest against Namibia when the two sides meet in a three-match ODI series in Windhoek, following two competitive T20I Tri-Series encounters between the teams. Fortuin said the recent matches showed that Namibia possess strong skills across multiple areas of the game, and he does not expect anything different as the teams shift to the 50-over format. He noted that the longer format, combined with Namibia playing on home soil, should make for high-quality cricket. Fortuin also praised Namibia's overall growth in international cricket, pointing out that the team has been competitive not only against South Africa but also against other nations on the world stage. He said Namibia's players and their cricket in general have been improving steadily and that he expects this progress to continue. Although Fortuin has already been named in South Africa's ODI squad for the home series against Australia, he said his focus remains solely on the Namibia series for now. He acknowledged there are individual skills he wants to develop ahead of the home summer, but stressed that the two competitive matches already played against Namibia show the team cannot afford to look past the current series. On team news, South Africa will be without Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Andile Simelane for the ODI series, while Corbin Bosch and Matthew Breetzke have been added to the squad. Fortuin welcomed their return, noting that both players have gained valuable experience playing cricket abroad and would add depth and calm leadership to the squad ahead of a busy international summer. He specifically highlighted Breetzke's leadership qualities as a bonus for the group. Fortuin said the ODI series offers a young Proteas squad another chance to build international experience before a demanding home season, but insisted that Namibia's competitiveness means South Africa must remain focused on the task at hand in Windhoek before thinking about what lies ahead.