Nicholas Pooran hit 35 runs from 13 balls to lead the West Indies to an eight-wicket victory over South Africa in the rain-shortened third Twenty20 Cricket International, securing a 3-0 series win.

The start of play was delayed by an hour due to rain which started again in the fifth over of the South African innings, reducing play to 13 overs per innings at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).

When the rain started, South Africa were 0-23 ahead and Tristan Stubbs scored 40 from 15 balls to help the visitors to 4-108 after a slow start.

Stubbs hit five fours and three sixes and finished the series with 144 runs at a strike rate of 178.

Pooran almost matched him, hitting two fours and four sixes. The West Indies were 2-60 when Pooran was dismissed on the fifth ball of the fourth over and won comfortably with 22 balls to spare.

Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 42 from 24 balls and Shimron Hetmeyer scored 31 from 17 deliveries in an unbroken partnership of 56 for the third wicket.

“Of course we wanted to emerge victorious. We wanted to win the series 3-0,” said West Indian captain Roston Chase.

No overs were lost when the toss was delayed by rain. The West Indies eventually won the toss and elected to bowl, mindful of the threat of further rain.

South Africa started cautiously in damp weather and the first boundary came in the fourth over, hit by Ryan Rickelton off the bowling of Matthew Forde. The first six innings came off the next ball.

The rain returned, forcing the players off the field for 70 minutes. Reeza Hendricks was three balls out after the resumption, but that brought Stubbs to the crease and he did his best to help South Africa to a competitive total.

Stubbs hit a six, a four and a six in consecutive balls in the eleventh over bowled by Obed McCoy and a four, a six and a four in the last over bowled by Forde. He was out with two balls remaining in the innings.

Pooran then put the home team in a winning position with his brilliant 13-ball performance. He finished the match with a strike rate of 269.

Hope hit four sixes in his innings and Hetmeyer added four fours and a six as the West Indies completed a comprehensive victory.