Tendulkar - in inspired form early on (Getty Images)

By Myles Hodgson, PA Sport Cricket Correspondent, Durban

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England's World Cup hopes were dealt a huge blow after a devastating spell from Ashish Nehra under lights at Kingsmead.

Left-armer Nehra was only declared fit after passing a fitness test, on the left ankle he twisted earlier this week, two hours before the start of this day-nighter.

He produced a spell of 10-2-23-6, the third best figures in World Cup history, to slice through the England middle order and put Nasser Hussain's side's hopes of qualifying from Pool A in jeopardy following an 82-run defeat.

The 23-year-old's return was only inferior to Winston Davis' seven for 51 against Australia in 1983 and Aussie Gary Gilmour's six for 14 versus England eight years earlier, both at Headingley.

England's man-of-the-match Andrew Flintoff reduced the damage with a responsible 64, which mixed patience with brute strength - but they might yet regret their slump should the equation for reaching the Super Sixes stage come down to net run rate.

Nick Knight, top scorer in the recent VB Series in Australia, sacrificed himself as early as the second over when he misjudged a single to mid-off and was left yards short by Mohammad Kaif's direct hit.

It proved a disastrous start for England, who have now failed in their last nine one-day international chases under floodlights.

Today's pursuit was further undermined by the dismissal of the out-of-sorts Marcus Trescothick, who played and missed at a succession of deliveries before splicing a pull off Zaheer Khan to Sachin Tendulkar at square-leg for his fifth single-figure score in seven one-day international innings.

The impressive Indian new-ball pairing of Zaheer and Javagal Srinath passed the outside edge with regularity and captain Hussain was fortunate when he did make contact off Zaheer that makeshift wicketkeeper Rahul Dravid spilled the chance.

Ball continued to dominate bat as Nehra, who replaced Zaheer for the 13th over, then produced a magical run of six consecutive dismissals as a glut of England right-handers failed to deal with deliveries angled across them.

Hussain and Stewart fell in consecutive bas; the England captain departed in identical fashion to his dismissal against Pakistan on Saturday, edging behind in attempting to run the ball down to third man, Stewart adjudged leg before to a ball which struck above the knee roll.

Brief threats of mid-innings resuscitation came and went as Nehra enticed Ashes hero Michael Vaughan, Paul Collingwood, Craig White and Ronnie Irani into catches behind the wicket.

Only Flintoff offered permanent resistance, clouting Harbhajan Singh for one six and pulling former Lancashire colleague Sourav Ganguly for two more on his way to a 63-ball half-century.

But, having taken Srinath for consecutive fours, another brutal smite was spectacularly hauled in by Virender Sehwag at midwicket.

Zaheer finished the innings with 27 balls unused when James Anderson was trapped lbw.

Having lost the toss, Hussain's men pegged India back after a flurried start, but 75 runs from the final 10 overs - India actually lost four wickets from the last four balls of the innings - meant they needed five an over.

Tendulkar provided early impetus to the total of 250 for nine with a half-century in even time.

However, a metronomical spell of 10-2-15-2 from Flintoff wrestled the advantage back from the Indians before a late assault manufactured by Dravid and given weight by Yuvraj Singh's 42, from 38 balls, ensured a challenging total.

Dravid's initial circumspection gave way to cute strokeplay, which included a heaved six over wide long-on off Anderson.

Having made 62, however, he was one of the quartet to fall in Caddick's final over, striking to deep mid-on the delivery after Kaif was held at midwicket.

Wicketkeeper Stewart ran Zaheer out before he had faced a ball and Srinath made it four wickets in as many balls when he flat-batted to deep extra-cover.

Flintoff closed the deficit further and improved the net run rate with powerful boundaries off Srinath.

But, having struck consecutive fours, another well-struck shot failed to bypass Virender Sehwag, who took his third catch of the innings, this time a brilliant sprawling take at midwicket.