Saj as you will probably remember back in 80s and 90s , just before the World Cups, for Pakistan there was always a case of a player who had been out of the team for about a year or two, miraculously being selected at last minute for the World Cup... Like Miandad in World Cup 96.
And likewise just after the World Cup when the captain and coaches were sacked, there was often someone who came out of the blue again and became captain to do the rebuilding.. like Rameez in 96/97, and Rashid Latif in 2003.
Will be interesting to see where Hafeez goes from here , but I think he still has a big role coming up - will it be before, at or after the World Cup only time will tell.