Australia have endured three rain delays on their way to a clean sweep of their T20I series with New Zealand, posting a 27-run win in Auckland.

However, former skipper Steve Smith suffered another setback on Sunday as he attempts to make the squad for June’s T20 World Cup, failing to deliver once more.

Australia posted 4-118 from 10.4 overs in an innings interrupted twice by Auckland showers.

A third rain delay ended their innings and set the Black Caps a revised total of 126 to chase, but the hosts were well held to 3-98 by Australia’s bowlers at Eden Park.

With little on the line in the dead rubber, most attention centred on the performance of Smith.

The 34-year-old has been reinvented as a top-order option late in his career, and was given another shot at opening with David Warner absent.

He departed meekly after three balls to suggest his place at a fourth World Cup is tenuous.

The 34-year-old got off the mark with a textbook pull to the boundary, but two balls later was caught half-heartedly attempting to cut a rising Adam Milne delivery, snicking it to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert.

Smith was the only Australian batsman dismissed without leaving a mark.

Matt Short (27 off 11 deliveries) and Glenn Maxwell (20 off nine) played explosive hands, with Travis Head (33 off 30) accumulating well.

Finishers Josh Inglis (14 off eight) and Tim David (eight off three) were left when the rain ended their stint at the crease.

New Zealand, understrength again with key absences including Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, never looked likely in their chase.

The early dismissals of Will Young and Tim Siefert brought key Kiwi duo of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips to the crease, needing 96 from 43 balls.

Phillips fumed as Nathan Ellis produced four straight dot balls with outswingers, an over which saw the required run-rate push out from 12 to 15 an over.

It only ballooned further when Allen holed out off the bowling of Adam Zampa soon after, the contest getting away from the Black Caps.

Phillips was New Zealand’s best with an unbeaten 40 off 24, but unable to find partners able to go with him.

Spencer Johnson (1-10 off two overs) impressed with the ball, as did Ellis (0-11 off two).

Australia made three changes for the match, with Mitch Marsh, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood rested given the Test series beginning at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on Thursday.

Marsh was named player of the series despite missing game three.

The result means Australia retains the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, which was previously contested only in ODIs, but is now in play during all short-form series.