India, May 7 -- Even as the Eden Gardens crowd prepares for what could be MS Dhoni's farewell appearance at the venue, Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit insists his players are blocking out the emotion to stay locked in on their playoff push. With Chennai Super Kings already eliminated, it's the defending champions KKR who have more than just sentiment riding on this contest.

The Knight Riders sit precariously on 11 points from as many matches and must win all three of their remaining games to stay alive in the playoff race. And while nostalgia around Dhoni's possible final appearance in Kolkata may stir emotions, Pandit is adamant that the team remains unaffected by the surrounding noise.

"I think during these kinds o...