Steve Smith’s T20 Cricket World Cup hopes take another mighty blow as Australia sweep New Zealand

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

However, former captain Steve Smith suffered another setback on Sunday as he attempts to make the squad for June’s T20 World Cup but failed to do so once again.

Australia posted 4-118 off 10.4 overs in an innings interrupted twice by rain in Auckland.

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

With little at stake on the dead rubber, most of the attention was focused on Smith’s performance.

The 34-year-old has reinvented himself as a top-tier option late in his career and has been given another chance to start with David Warner absent.

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

Smith went off the mark with a textbook pull towards the boundary, but two balls later he was caught half-heartedly attempting to clip a rising delivery from Adam Milne, flicking 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.

Finalists Josh Inglis (14 out of eight) and Tim David (eight out of three) stayed on when rain ended their time in the area.

New Zealand, again weakened by key absences such as Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, never looked likely in their chase.

Early dismissals of Will Young and Tim Siefert brought the key New Zealand duo of Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips into the crease, needing 96 off 43 balls.

Phillips was infuriated when Nathan Ellis produced four dot balls in a row with outswingers, an over in which the required run rate increased from 12 to 15 per over.

It only skyrocketed further when Allen holed out from Adam Zampa’s bowling soon after, and the competition turned away from the Black Caps.

Phillips was New Zealand’s best with an unbeaten 40 from 24, but could not find partners capable of accompanying 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 starting 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 only contested in ODIs but is now up for grabs during all short series.