Without scoring a run MS Dhoni orchestrated victory. He has rarely been lauded for the dexterity of his glovework but here he was whipping off bails with perfect judgment and timing to dispatch England's best and set India on course for another global trophy. And he never stopped plotting and planning, a calm beacon amid the wonderfully frenzied atmosphere of a packed Edgbaston. Dhoni knows how to win and he almost willed his irrepressible team over the line.

He marshalled his side with wit, calm and confidence, imperious behind those stumps, moving the field with Napoleonic certainty after almost every delivery, not so much following the ball but anticipating the batsman's next move. He insists that his new Indian side no longer accepts the inevitable with a shrug. They are mentally and physically strong and unfailingly combative. A total of 130 seemed a modest target but he ensured that it was enough. Dhoni and his men kept their heads while English batsmen, with victory still tantalisingly visible, lost theirs.

Here was a match reduced to 20 overs but any thoughts that Dhoni might revert to some rigid formula for the shortest form of the game were soon dispensed. He spied a pitch that was ideal for his purposes. Despite all the rain the playing surface was bone dry – ideal for India's spin attack – and the captain made sure that his team exploited their good fortune. Ravindra Jadeja was on for the fifth over; Ravi Ashwin soon followed. Suresh Raina was summoned. There was nothing so unusual about that, except that in England a precaution is often taken; the playing surface tends to suit the home side's purposes. But it was not so this time.

Soon there were not one, not two but three men round the bat for India's spinners. Did Dhoni think this was a Test match? This was reminiscent of an ODI between England and Australia at Old Trafford when a young Michael Vaughan looked up to see Glenn McGrath in the middle distance at the end of his run-up and behind him a slip cordon of five smiling Australians.

Here was the ultimate expression of confidence – "our bowlers have the measure of you". There followed the realisation that this might also be a pragmatic field. Those close fielders looked as if they might take a catch at any moment.

The stumpings were far from straightforward. Jonathan Trott was taken down the leg-side from a ball from Ashwin that would be given a wide. It turned a long way, which meant that Dhoni had some travelling to do. He completed the operation with time to spare. There was never any need to go to the third umpire.

The second stumping was even better. The victim this time was Ian Bell. Warwickshire's finest opted to make room to hit Jadeja through the off side. The ball squeezed between his body and the leg-stump. Once again Dhoni whipped off the bails as Bell's back foot retreated. The third umpire was most definitely required this time. It was a hairline decision and Bell had to go.

Then for the final two overs – in the powerplay – traditionally the domain for the dutiful opening bowler, to whom did Dhoni turn? His spinners, of course. How England's lower order craved some uncomplicated pace on the ball. How inevitable that this was the last thing that Dhoni would give them? Was it just good fortune that England's lower-order left-handers were faced with Ashwin spinning the ball away from them on a deviously turning track? Dhoni seems to control everything and thus he ruined the day of two of England's unlikely heroes.

For England had their own inspired Ravi – Bopara – who almost delivered something special alongside the journeyman's journeyman from Kent. Caught Tredwell bowled Bopara does not quite have the ring of caught Knott bowled Underwood or caught Marsh bowled Lillee. But this was the crazy combination that undermined the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up.

Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan both succumbed to the dreaded new Tredwell/ Bopara axis. Dhawan played early to Bopara's slower ball and from the splice of his bat the ball drifted to short extra cover where the proud Kent captain accepted a straightforward catch. Indian dangerman No1, identified by the twirly moustache and shiny earring, was on his way. Dangerman No2 has a beard, now greying, maybe an inevitable consequence of leading India for a prolonged period of time. The last ball of a Bopara over, which would become a handy double-wicket maiden, was dug in short. Dhoni cut hard and the ball flew towards the third man boundary. There resided Tredwell, who accepted the catch without fuss.

Now Tredwell is a self-effacing man with an ecclesiastical air, not given to an excess of an emotion, but soon he was surrounded by adoring colleagues eager to embrace him. He let them have their way. He deigned to smile before gathering himself for the challenges ahead. At the time it was possible to believe that this dismissal of Dhoni would be crucial. It was not long, though, before India's captain was in full control again.