Do not agree with the OP. You can call ICC tournaments flukes or not, but never have I heard that winning a tournament is actually costly to the team.
I don't think Pakistan cricket is in this state due to match/tournament results/performances, in fact, the wins are a testament to the defiance of Pakistan cricket.
Here's why I think Pakistan cricket is in the state it is:
1. Lack of fearless/aggressive players & leaders. Not sure what to put this down to, nepotism, management, but it is not all Misbah. The last fearless player that springs to my mind is Shahid Afridi, and you can say what you want about him, but he had a certain aura about him, and thanks to him Pakistan won the World T20 in 2009, and took Pakistan to the SF of the WC in 2011. He added the jazba that is much needed right now.
2. Low salaries. You can argue till you are blue, but low salaries do not help with motivation. Why would a Pakistan player bust his guts off at the international level when he knows he can play a few tamasha leagues and earn way more? Pay the players market rates, BUT have them on performance related pay and bonuses and frankly ban them from tamasha leagues. Plus high pay will also deter players from fixing!
3. The PSL and other T20 leagues. Franchise cricket is tamasha level as it is, but the PSL, BPL, SPL, blah blah is simply a low quality league. Don't give me the excuse India produces quality players because of the IPL - they do not. Everything from the bowling to the batting in tamasha leagues, is detrimental to the development of technique, skill, talent, fitness, and mindset. Our players are failing against the top teams because they are used to crappy levels of bowling/batting in the PSL for example. Send Pakistan players to English county circuit instead! Moreover, stop bigging up players based on PSL performances!
4. Management. Whether it is Misbah, or Inzi, or a foreign/domestic coach, the level of Pakistan management has been dire for decades. Perhaps this is to do with the interference of politicians. On top of this, PCB needs to hire a proper sports psychologists. Oh, and ban social media for all the players too.
5. The fans, the media, and ex-players who have nothing better to do than to slate their Pakistan cricket, win or lose, have never helped. Before asking Pakistan cricket to be united, why not unite as a fanbase/media base first, get behind Pakistan cricket, then demand unity? This has NEVER happened post 1992.
6. I will not mention this point directly as it will open up a can of worms, because I think most of you know what it is, but Pakistan cricket team lack professionalism because their priorities on the field are all over the place.
7. Domestic structure and system. This goes without saying.
As for today's loss vs Afghanistan, yes it is upsetting, but Afghanistan beat England, Netherlands beat South Africa in the same WC. You know what this means right? In a few more years as the game expands to other countries, we will be seeing more of what we witnessed today, and there will come a time very very soon, when such results, will no longer be a shock anymore, but will be considered excitement.
And finally, Pakistan itself has and is going through some very tough times, in particular the cricket team which probably is the most challenged off-the-field from the top 8 members, whether with the spot fixing saga, or events of 2009, or lack of home series, yet still we somehow come out defying odds every now and then! Imagine how Pakistan would perform with just 25% improvement all round! Remember, it wasn't long ago when all of PP were surprised and satisfied with Pakistan's performance in the series vs SL. That time will come again, and will be prolonged - inshallah!
