Off-colour England were no match for Shoaib Akhtar's world-class pace or Kamran Akmal's commanding batting as they surrendered a 1-0 lead in their five-match one-day international series with a seven-wicket defeat against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium.

After their late-night obligations to BBC television's Sports Review of the Year England produced an anaemic performance, which allowed Pakistan a clear run to victory on the back of Shoaib's five-wicket haul and Kamran's second century at this level.

The only players to raise their game were the ones who - as non-Ashes winners - were spared the attentions of a live television audience requiring their presence via a satellite link at 1.30am and, in Andrew Flintoff's case, 3.10 am.

England's premier all-rounder, permitted less than eight hours of turnaround time between his acceptance speech and the start of the match, contributed a fourth-ball duck to an England innings of 230 all out which was flawed in many other aspects.

Only Liam Plunkett's maiden half-century for England - in a record ninth-wicket stand of 100 with 'supersub' Vikram Solanki - provided England with a brief glimmer of hope that they might salvage something worthwhile from the wreckage of their own ill-advised adventure and the unique skill of Shoaib.

Kamran put them out of their misery, sharing an 86-run opening stand with Salman Butt then a third-wicket partnership of 74 with his fellow third-Test tormentor Mohammad Yousuf to help Pakistan complete the summary dismissal with six overs to spare.

Shoaib began England's troubles by getting rid of Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss with two memorable pieces of bowling in one over, and returned later to see off Geraint Jones and Ian Blackwell via more top-quality pace.

Inbetween, heavyweight pair Kevin Pietersen and Flintoff fell in the space of five balls to Rana Naved-ul-Hasan as England faltered alarmingly after choosing to bat first.

A sound start was interrupted when Shoaib served up a new variation of his increasingly feared slower ball to clean bowl Trescothick with an off-cutter which just lifted the off bail.

Four balls later Strauss was gone without scoring when Shoaib dug one in at the batsman's ribs, giving him no room to manoeuvre and taking the glove on its way for a catch behind.

Matthew Prior and Pietersen responded with a gung-ho counter-attack, taking little account of the early setbacks as they committed to a worryingly reckless approach.

Pietersen took on Rana - hitting each of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth balls he faced for boundaries. The third-wicket pair were living on the edge - thrashing and missing as often as they were connecting - and it was no surprise when Pietersen lost his off-stump, aiming across the line at Rana to end a bizarre cameo.

It also meant an early sighter for Flintoff, who pulled Rana straight to mid-wicket with his first attempt at a shot in anger.

Having lost the strike for long periods, Prior played round a useful delivery to be bowled by Abdul Razzaq.

Inzamam-ul-Haq recalled Shoaib as early as the 25th over and his most potent weapon produced another brute of a short ball to have Jones caught behind then knocked out Blackwell's off-stump with a 90mph-plus delivery which nipped off the pitch for good measure.

Solanki was dropped behind the wicket on ten off Danish Kaneria's leg-spin before he and Plunkett saved some of England's blushes. The latter finished with a richly-deserved half-century from 72 balls, hitting four fours and a six.

Kamran completed a near run-a-ball hundred with 15 fours and one six and the floodlit fixture barely extended beyond dusk.